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| Author |
Verizon won't let me replace analog phone
|
|
| JOHN D 2006-01-16, 5:48 am |
| We have a old analog plan with low monthly fees, 2 phones and no free
minutes. The only charge for the 2nd phone is the minutes used on it..
I wanted to replace one of the phones with a used newer model. Verizon says
they can't activate a analog phone that doesn't have some kind of special
911 support. They said FCC laws won't let them. They said there were no new
analog phones that can be used on our existing plan. They said if our old
phones died we'd couldnt get analog phones to continue our existing plan.
Our old phones are MicroTAC 650's The newer phone I wanted to use is a
MicroTAC Elite. How much of what they told me is true..
| |
| Charles 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
| In article <f9Jyf.12839$Di.2353@trnddc06>, JOHN D
<jawnd393one@yahoo.com> wrote:
> How much of what they told me is true.
There was a deadline of December 31 set by the FCC by which 95% of all
Verizon customers were required to have E911 phones. (they did not
quite make it and have requested a deadline extension). In order to
meet the requirement they have stopped activating phones that are not
E911.
--
Charles
| |
| Agent_C 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
| On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 08:52:27 GMT, "JOHN D" <jawnd393one@yahoo.com>
wrote:
>How much of what they told me is true.
All of it.
A_C
| |
|
| "JOHN D" <jawnd393one@yahoo.com> wrote in news:f9Jyf.12839$Di.2353
@trnddc06:
> How much of what they told me is true..
>
None of it. If you were an analog customer, they must allow you analog
service, last time I asked the FCC, not the carriers....unless that has
changed very recently.
Email the FCC at fccinfo@fcc.gov and ask them. They don't bite. If they
tell you the carrier must still provide you AMPS service, reply to that
email and ask them, very nicely, to call your carrier's phone number to
inform them of their responsibility. Give the FCC your specific phone
number, account number, etc. so they can address this issue for you,
personally. I bet your old bagphone will be back on the air in no
time...(c;
Everyone is always more cooperative when it's the cops askin' the
questions....
| |
| Bruce E. Stemplewski 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
| Larry wrote:
> "JOHN D" <jawnd393one@yahoo.com> wrote in news:f9Jyf.12839$Di.2353
> @trnddc06:
>
>
>
>
> None of it. If you were an analog customer, they must allow you analog
> service, last time I asked the FCC, not the carriers....unless that has
> changed very recently.
>
> Email the FCC at fccinfo@fcc.gov and ask them. They don't bite. If they
> tell you the carrier must still provide you AMPS service, reply to that
> email and ask them, very nicely, to call your carrier's phone number to
> inform them of their responsibility. Give the FCC your specific phone
> number, account number, etc. so they can address this issue for you,
> personally. I bet your old bagphone will be back on the air in no
> time...(c;
>
> Everyone is always more cooperative when it's the cops askin' the
> questions....
>
The phone must have GPS for 911 the phone does not have GPS
capabilities, nothing to do with it being analog.
--
Bruce E. Stemplewski
GarXface OCX and C++ Class Library for the Garmin GPS
www.stempsoft.com
| |
| kevin weaver 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
|
"Bruce E. Stemplewski" <Bruce. Stemplewski@removeno
spamstempsoft.com> wrote
in message news:7KOyf.307$Iw3.37@trndny06...
> Larry wrote:
>
> The phone must have GPS for 911 the phone does not have GPS capabilities,
> nothing to do with it being analog.
>
>
> --
> Bruce E. Stemplewski
> GarXface OCX and C++ Class Library for the Garmin GPS
> www.stempsoft.com
What phones that are analog only have gps ?
| |
| Dr. Joel M. Hoffman 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
| >We have a old analog plan with low monthly fees, 2 phones and no free
>minutes. The only charge for the 2nd phone is the minutes used on it..
>I wanted to replace one of the phones with a used newer model. Verizon says
>they can't activate a analog phone that doesn't have some kind of special
>911 support. They said FCC laws won't let them. They said there were no new
>analog phones that can be used on our existing plan. They said if our old
>phones died we'd couldnt get analog phones to continue our existing plan.
>Our old phones are MicroTAC 650's The newer phone I wanted to use is a
>MicroTAC Elite. How much of what they told me is true..
Ask them why you can't use an E911 digital/analgue phone.
-Joel
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free 35mm lens & digital camera reviews: http://www.exc.com/photography
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| |
| Dr. Joel M. Hoffman 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
| >Ask them why you can't use an E911 digital/analgue phone.
Sorry to follow up on my own message. Once you have a
digital/analogue phone, you can probably turn off digital reception.
My Audiovox (Toshiba, really) lets me do this from a hidden menu. I
sometimes do turn off the digital mode because I sometimes work in an
area where there's enough digital signal to make the phone ring but to
have a conversation. Sigh.
-Joel
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free 35mm lens & digital camera reviews: http://www.exc.com/photography
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| |
| Michael Wise 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
| In article <GxPyf.8046$0Z.6933@fe04.lga>,
"kevin weaver" < kevinweaver1@charter
.net> wrote:
[color=darkred]
>
> What phones that are analog only have gps ?
None, because GPS on cell phones didn't exist in the days that
analog-only phones were manufactured. There are even plenty of tri-mode
phones that don't have GPS: I have a drawer full of TimePorts, v60c's
and v60i's I kept as back-up phones which VZW will now no longer allow
me to activate.
--Mike
| |
| 617 Phones 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
| Larry wrote:
> If you were an analog customer, they must allow you analog
> service, last time I asked the FCC, not the carriers....unless that has
> changed very recently.
>
This is an ongoing line of wishful thinking that Larry constantly
dishes out. The FCC only requires that if a customer has an activated
analog phone it must be supported by existing analog infrastructure.
That infrastructure must be maintained (at least at minimum levels)
until February 2008. That's another one Larry likes to play with. You
can find multiple posts where he states that the FCC has made changes
to the original sunset date. It has never been adjusted and the
probability that will happen is extremely low.
No provider is required to activate new or replacement analog phones,
even for those customers who currently use analog only. They can't
discontinue service to analog only users until February 2008, but only
if the users continue to use the same phones.
In actuality, the FCC does not prevent carriers from activating
individual analog phones. As stated, though, Verizon and other carriers
are tightening the screws to get in compliance with the 95%. Verizon's
Terms of Service state that they will only activate specific devices.
Analog only devices are not included.
The only way you might have leverage on this would be if VZW renewed
your grandfathered contract without requiring a change in equipment.
Then, you might have a stronger argument that replacement analog
equipment should be supported. Otherwise, not much chance.
The information relayed to you is company policy based on FCC
realities. So while it wasn't stated perfectly ("FCC laws won't let
them"), the answer was correct.
| |
| The Ghost of General Lee 2006-01-16, 5:48 pm |
| On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:12:16 GMT, joel@exc.com (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman)
wrote:
>
>Sorry to follow up on my own message. Once you have a
>digital/analogue phone, you can probably turn off digital reception.
>My Audiovox (Toshiba, really) lets me do this from a hidden menu. I
>sometimes do turn off the digital mode because I sometimes work in an
>area where there's enough digital signal to make the phone ring but to
>have a conversation. Sigh.
>
This issue really has absolutely nothing to do with analog. You
*MUST* have a GPS enabled phone to be activated on VZW now. No
exceptions. If the GPS enabled phone you activate happens to have
analog capability, then fine.
Now, if they are in an area served by digital and analog service,
there wouldn't be a need lock it into analog only. The only reason
analog got brought up in this thread is because the OP has an 'analog
only' phone now. If they had a digital capable phone, then VZW would
have put them on a digital plan (which would have allowed analog
usage, where available).
| |
| JoshIII 2006-01-16, 11:48 pm |
|
"The Ghost of General Lee" <ghost@general.lee> wrote in message
> This issue really has absolutely nothing to do with analog. You
> *MUST* have a GPS enabled phone to be activated on VZW now. No
> exceptions. If the GPS enabled phone you activate happens to have
> analog capability, then fine.
>
JoshIII asks the question:
I can't take my old deactivated Alltel / Nokia 5185 (CDMA trimode) ESN
and
go to the VZW website and type in the ESN to activate it?
I know the old 5185 is not GPS enabled.
JoshIII,16JAN06
Prepaid questions? Just ask!
http://pasofinosc.tripod.com
| |
| The Ghost of General Lee 2006-01-16, 11:48 pm |
| On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 18:35:11 -0500, "JoshIII"
< josh3iREMOVE@hotmail
.com> wrote:
>
>"The Ghost of General Lee" <ghost@general.lee> wrote in message
>
>
>JoshIII asks the question:
>
>I can't take my old deactivated Alltel / Nokia 5185 (CDMA trimode) ESN
>and
>go to the VZW website and type in the ESN to activate it?
You can try, but it's been established for a while that VZW will not
activate a non-VZW phone, nor a VZW phone that is not GPS enabled.
Alltel used to activate non-Alltel CDMA phones, but no longer.
>I know the old 5185 is not GPS enabled.
Then chances are it will not allow you to activate it. As I said, you
can try, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.
| |
| cletisfp@canada.com 2006-01-17, 2:48 am |
| you gay XXXX larry, once again you are making a XXXXing XXX of
yourself, you really are stupid as XXXX, and everytime you post you
make yourself look more stupid, you have your head jamed way up your
XXX like a XXXXing XXXXhead vealot. you XXXXing eat shit mother XXXXer,
mother XXXXing shit eating some of a XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX
f
u
c
k
XXXX that is right XXXX you shitmonkey XXXX why the XXXX did you change
your name from Larry W$CSC to just larry? I know, becuse your a net
kook and you suck dick and wanted people to think you are some
different guy, Unfortunally for you, all of us, except that Dr. Joel
XXXX guy is smarter then you, and you two are smart as shit mother
XXXXers.
Cletis.
| |
| RVer Don 2006-01-17, 5:48 am |
|
>
>
>
> None, because GPS on cell phones didn't exist in the days that
> analog-only phones were manufactured. There are even plenty of tri-mode
> phones that don't have GPS: I have a drawer full of TimePorts, v60c's
> and v60i's I kept as back-up phones which VZW will now no longer allow
> me to activate.
>
I'm still using my LG VX-10 which is tri-mode but not GPS capable. It suits
my needs perfectly and I have no intention of changing phones until it quits
working or I'm somehow forced into changing.
Don in Tracy, Calif.
| |
| JOHN D 2006-01-17, 5:48 pm |
| The only reason I need analog is because they won't let me change to digital
phones with my existing call plan. I'd be glad to go digital for the newer
smaller phones with much better battery life. All digital plans are
significantly more expensive. My monthly bill for 2 phones is usually under
$20
| |
| David S 2006-01-18, 2:48 am |
| On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 08:52:27 GMT, "JOHN D" <jawnd393one@yahoo.com> chose to
add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and everything:
>We have a old analog plan with low monthly fees, 2 phones and no free
>minutes. The only charge for the 2nd phone is the minutes used on it..
>I wanted to replace one of the phones with a used newer model. Verizon says
>they can't activate a analog phone that doesn't have some kind of special
>911 support. They said FCC laws won't let them. They said there were no new
>analog phones that can be used on our existing plan. They said if our old
>phones died we'd couldnt get analog phones to continue our existing plan.
>Our old phones are MicroTAC 650's The newer phone I wanted to use is a
>MicroTAC Elite. How much of what they told me is true..
It's all true, although some of the details aren't correct as stated. But
I'm not sure it's relevant to your need to get a new phone.
I may be wrong, but I'm not sure there's really such a thing as an "analog
plan." I would suggest you try to go ahead and activate an E911 compatible
phone on your account and see what happens. My bet is that even if you
don't upgrade your plan to give them more revenue, they will still be happy
to have you switch to a current model phone. My boss still has his very
first Ameritech Cellular $9.95 plan with no minutes[1] and no long
distance, but a few years ago they let him put a new Star Tac on it and I
bet if he bought another new phone now he could still activate it on his
existing plan.
[1] .25/min. peak, .12 off-peak, plus .02/min. "interconnect fee." One of
these days, I'll have to ask him if they still charge the interconnect fee.
--
David Streeter, "an internet god" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"If I were Human, I believe my response would be 'Go to hell.' If I were
Human." - Spock, Star Trek VI
"Captain, I believe I speak for everyone here when I say... 'to hell with
our orders.'" - Data, Star Trek VIII
| |
| Isaiah Beard 2006-01-18, 2:48 am |
| Larry wrote:
> None of it. If you were an analog customer, they must allow you analog
> service, last time I asked the FCC, not the carriers....unless that has
> changed very recently.
Nothing's changed Larry. Including the fact that you are once again, wrong.
Verizon is legally required to offer a minimum level of AMPS service to
customers with existing, active (or roaming), working equipment, until
February of 2008. If that equipment breaks, they are under no
obligation to provide equivalent AMPS equipment as a replacement. Nor
are they obligated to activate any "new" AMPS-only equipment on their
network.
In fact, as far as the FCC is concerned, they shouldn't be activating
ANYTHING that isn't E911-capable. And AMPS equipment is most certainly
not E911-capable.
Bottom line: If you manage to keep your existing AMPS gear up and
running and don't ever deactivate it for any reason, then Verizon has to
provide at least one AMPS channel to work with in coverage areas where
they previously offered AMPS, until '08. But the second that gear is
taken off the active list on the network, it's gone for good. Though
I'm sure Cellular Express will gladly fleece you for $1.99 a minute in
roaming fees if you insist on using your bag phone anyway.
> Email the FCC at fccinfo@fcc.gov and ask them. They don't bite.
Yes, he should. They'll gladly correct your error. ;)
--
E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
| |
| JOHN D 2006-01-18, 5:48 am |
| When I went to one bill for my Verizon cell, land line, and DSL, I lost the
ability to log in to my account at verizonwireless.com. I don't see any link
from the landline/DSL verizon site to the wireless account . So I don't see
any online link to update the phone, or change the ESN. How does one change
the ESN on there verizon account? I have 2 phones I might try. A motorola
MicroTAC Elite flip phone and a LG LCD-330W. The LG is s dual mode phone but
apparantly doesn't have the E911 support.
John
| |
| JOHN D 2006-01-18, 5:48 am |
|
"JOHN D" <jawnd393one@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:x_mzf.19164$h47.6506@trnddc08...
> I have 2 phones I might try. A motorola MicroTAC Elite flip phone and a
LG LCD-330W.
>
> Correction, It's a LGC-330W
| |
| Chris Ward 2006-01-18, 11:48 pm |
| Much of what they said. They can refuse to activate a new phone, however
what they cannot force you to do is to is give up your existing plan if you
pay a non subsidized (retail?) price for the phone.
"JOHN D" <jawnd393one@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:f9Jyf.12839$Di.2353@trnddc06...
> We have a old analog plan with low monthly fees, 2 phones and no free
> minutes. The only charge for the 2nd phone is the minutes used on it..
> I wanted to replace one of the phones with a used newer model. Verizon
> says
> they can't activate a analog phone that doesn't have some kind of special
> 911 support. They said FCC laws won't let them. They said there were no
> new
> analog phones that can be used on our existing plan. They said if our old
> phones died we'd couldnt get analog phones to continue our existing plan.
> Our old phones are MicroTAC 650's The newer phone I wanted to use is a
> MicroTAC Elite. How much of what they told me is true..
>
>
| |
| Jerome Zelinske 2006-01-22, 2:48 am |
| They can not make you give up your plan until they turn the analog
system off. You can still keep on paying your monthly bill, but if you
do not have a working phone, they will not activate a different phone,
no matter where you bought it or how much you paid for it.
| |
| GeorgeB 2006-01-22, 5:48 pm |
| On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 04:34:51 GMT, Jerome Zelinske
<jeromez1@earthlink.net> wrote:
> They can not make you give up your plan until they turn the analog
>system off. You can still keep on paying your monthly bill, but if you
>do not have a working phone, they will not activate a different phone,
>no matter where you bought it or how much you paid for it.
I believe that most mobile phone suppliers will allow you to keep an
old plan, but there is not, other than a commitment that may have been
in a contract, any obligation for them to do so.
Larry will pop in here that the fact that you had an analog plan
requires them to continue to allow you to have an analog phone on that
plan; whether true or not I don't know.
But, AFAIK, NO PROVIDER will now allow putting a device on ANY plan
that does not work with THEIR enhanced 911 capability. Note that GPS
is not the enhanced 911 method used by all providers, but there seem
to be problems complying with government mandated accuracy by some of
the other methods.
I would SUSPECT that a combination digital/analog ("tri-mode") CDMA
phone would be allowed, and further that they would allow you to use
the digital capability as digital uses less bandwidth than analog. For
them to not allow you to keep that plan after they eliminate analog
capability in some future year would seem a reasonable possibility. I
doubt they make any money on a $9.95 a month plan whether it is used
or not.
| |
| Isaiah Beard 2006-01-22, 5:48 pm |
| GeorgeB wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 04:34:51 GMT, Jerome Zelinske
> <jeromez1@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>
> I believe that most mobile phone suppliers will allow you to keep an
> old plan, but there is not, other than a commitment that may have been
> in a contract, any obligation for them to do so.
Pretty much hit the nail on the head. If you're under contract, then of
course Verizon or any other cell carrier has to let you keep the plan,
or at the very least release you from contract obligation if they make
you give up that plan. However, I suspect that most, if not all, analog
users have been off-contract for a very long time. And while most
carriers are very gentlemanly about letting you ride out a plan until
you decide to change something, being off-contract pretty much means
that either side can terminate service at any time.
> Larry will pop in here that the fact that you had an analog plan
> requires them to continue to allow you to have an analog phone on that
> plan; whether true or not I don't know.
Legally, no, unless you've somehow duped the carrier into putting a
contract term on your plan taht extneds into the future. Woe be the
wireless employee that allows THAT to happen. :)
> But, AFAIK, NO PROVIDER will now allow putting a device on ANY plan
> that does not work with THEIR enhanced 911 capability.
No *AGPS*-implemented carrier, anyway. If you're on a GSM network, then
any old GSM handset is technically "e911 capable" because most GSM
networks decided to make LBS a network-side function (at greater
difficulty and reduced accuracy, I might add).
Most CDMA carriers, however, opted for AGPS which has had fewer
deployment problems (except for the whole some-luddites-won't-upgrade
thing). And now, if a phone isn't already on the network that lacks
AGPS and is not e911 complaint, then woe be the wireless employee that
allows it BACK on.
> I would SUSPECT that a combination digital/analog ("tri-mode") CDMA
> phone would be allowed
Correct, if it has GPS.
> , and further that they would allow you to use
> the digital capability as digital uses less bandwidth than analog.
They'll allow analog too, if you can force your phone into that mode.
--
E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
| |
| Chris Sweeney 2006-01-22, 5:48 pm |
| They must allow you to continue with AMPS service, they are not allowed
to activate new phones on it. All phones are required by the FCC to be
E911 capable now and AMPS does not allow for it.
Larry wrote:
> "JOHN D" <jawnd393one@yahoo.com> wrote in news:f9Jyf.12839$Di.2353
> @trnddc06:
>
>
>
>
> None of it. If you were an analog customer, they must allow you analog
> service, last time I asked the FCC, not the carriers....unless that has
> changed very recently.
>
> Email the FCC at fccinfo@fcc.gov and ask them. They don't bite. If they
> tell you the carrier must still provide you AMPS service, reply to that
> email and ask them, very nicely, to call your carrier's phone number to
> inform them of their responsibility. Give the FCC your specific phone
> number, account number, etc. so they can address this issue for you,
> personally. I bet your old bagphone will be back on the air in no
> time...(c;
>
> Everyone is always more cooperative when it's the cops askin' the
> questions....
>
| |
| clifto 2006-01-22, 5:48 pm |
| Isaiah Beard wrote:
> Most CDMA carriers, however, opted for AGPS which has had fewer
> deployment problems (except for the whole some-luddites-won't-upgrade
> thing).
I'm no luddite, but I know a good phone when I have one. The only thing
that pried my StarTAC out of my hands was the fact that my charging
connector was going bad, and the wife's is about due. Of course, the
Bluetooth headset soothes some of the pain of parting. :)
--
If John McCain gets the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination,
my vote for President will be a write-in for Jiang Zemin.
| |
| kevin weaver 2006-01-22, 11:48 pm |
| They make external chargers that allow you to remove the battery and place
it in a charger to charge. The StarTac has a easy to remove battery in any
phone I've seen.
"clifto" <clifto@clifto.com> wrote in message
news:tl6da3-nqs.ln1@remote.clifto.com...
> Isaiah Beard wrote:
>
> I'm no luddite, but I know a good phone when I have one. The only thing
> that pried my StarTAC out of my hands was the fact that my charging
> connector was going bad, and the wife's is about due. Of course, the
> Bluetooth headset soothes some of the pain of parting. :)
>
> --
> If John McCain gets the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination,
> my vote for President will be a write-in for Jiang Zemin.
| |
|
| Chris Sweeney wrote:
> They must allow you to continue with AMPS service, they are not allowed
> to activate new phones on it. All phones are required by the FCC to be
> E911 capable now and AMPS does not allow for it.
The requirement is that all digital handsets activated be E911 capable.
There is no such requirement for AMPS handsets. There are carriers that
continue to offer AMPS only handsets.
This assumes that tri-mode handsets that are not E911 capable cannot be
activated, though some could argue that these are not in fact digital
handsets, because they aren't 100% digital.
| |
| Isaiah Beard 2006-01-23, 5:48 pm |
| SMS wrote:
> The requirement is that all digital handsets activated be E911 capable.
> There is no such requirement for AMPS handsets. There are carriers that
> continue to offer AMPS only handsets.
There is no such requirement for AMPS handsets mainly because:
1. Most AMPS-only carriers that remain are mom-and-pop rural outfits
that applied for and received exemptions on e911 compliance, and,
2. Those few AMPS-only carriers who didn't get an exemption are
deploying TDOA (Time Distance of Arrival) on their networks to enable
e911 without requiring anything of the handsets.
Seeing as most CDMA carriers with legacy AMPS didn't go the TDOA route,
they have to compensate by not allowing AMPS gear back on the network
once the gear is deactivated.
--
E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
| |
| 617 Phones 2006-01-24, 2:48 am |
| SMS wrote:
>
> The requirement is that all digital handsets activated be E911 capable.
> There is no such requirement for AMPS handsets. There are carriers that
> continue to offer AMPS only handsets.
>
The FCC's E911 Phase 2 rules state that 95% of all handsets must be
E911 capable. There is no waiver for analog only phones. In fact Golden
State Cellular was issued a one year postponement of the 95%
requirement specifically because many of their users require 3 watt
analog phones to have effective service. This was effective December
15, 2005.
The Commission is allowing one year (GSC applied for 18 months) to give
Golden State Cellular the opportunity to build its CDMA infrastructure
up to the level needed to supply digital users with the usable
coverage. (Yes, I know that digital with amplifiers is just about equal
to analog bag or installed phones. But most users have the bag phones.)
So, the FCC is not differentiating between digital and analog. As a
result, a carrier's active analog-only and non E911 capable digital
phones can total only <= 5% of the total number of that carrier's
active phones.
| |
| Jerome Zelinske 2006-01-24, 5:48 pm |
| They will not allow a tri mode phone, even if the digital is e911, to
be added to an analog only plan.
| |
| David S 2006-01-24, 5:48 pm |
| On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 20:14:38 GMT, Chris Sweeney <csweeney@chatcastle.com>
chose to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and
everything:
>Dr. Joel M. Hoffman wrote:
>because he is on an analog plan
What is inherent in the plan that makes *it* analog? Why can't *any* phone
be used on *any* plan?
--
David Streeter, "a guy's guy" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"The rose goes in the front, big guy." - Crash Davis to Nuke Laloosh
| |
|
| 617 Phones wrote:
> So, the FCC is not differentiating between digital and analog. As a
> result, a carrier's active analog-only and non E911 capable digital
> phones can total only <= 5% of the total number of that carrier's
> active phones.
>
Incorrect. Twice.
According to the FCC web site 100% of new activations of digital
handsets must now be E911 capable. There is no requirement at all than
analog handsets be E911 capable, just that 95% of handsets in service be
E911 capable.
Where they are not making any distinction is in the 95%. Non-E911
phones, whether digital or analog-only, cannot exceed 5% of the total
number of handsets. If a carrier can meet the 95% requirement and still
activate analog phones, they are free to do so.
The carriers are _choosing_ to refuse to activate AMPS-only handsets
because it helps to get the percentage of non-E911 capable phones under
5%. They are _forbidden_ from activating digital handsets without E911
capability. They are not forbidden from activating analog handsets
without E911 capability.
The FCC, either accidentally or on-purpose, did not differentiate
between digital-only or tri-mode handsets. They probably meant to say
that any handset that includes digital capability must be E911 capable.
December 31, 2005 was the deadline for 95% compliance. I see where
Golden State was granted a waiver for a year. But if they really wanted
to, they could still activate AMPS only handsets as long as they could
still meet the 95% requirement by December 31, 2006.
I wonder what's happening up in Alaska, where vast areas are covered
only by AMPS, and where up until a few months ago you could still buy
bag phones.
| |
| Isaiah Beard 2006-01-24, 11:48 pm |
| David S wrote:
>
> What is inherent in the plan that makes *it* analog?
There definitely appears to bea distinction. If I look at my account
plan details, one of the "features" of the plan is:
- CDMA/DIGITAL PHONE
Which indicates the billing system differentiates between phone types on
each plan.
> Why can't *any* phone be used on *any* plan?
For that you'd have to ask Verizon. Most likely though, it's a way of
"sunsetting" older plans to remove them from the billing system as
people are eventually forced to upgrade.
Personally, I think it makes sense to just upgrade in many cases. I
remember my first cellular plan with then-Bell Atlantic wasn't anywhere
close to competing with what's available today. For $39.99, I got a
whopping 30 minutes of airtime a month, long distance was $.12 a minute
extra, and "home" coverage was limited to New York City, and the upper
half of NJ. Unlimited weekends (no nights) was $10/month extra.
On top of that, I had a similar plan with then-GTE MobileNet so that
when I traveled south, I could switch NAMs and wouldn't be roaming.
If I had a choice between the two plans then ($100 to two companies for
about 60 minutes, with two or three cities of coverage), and the one
plan I have now ($100 to one carrier for 450 minutes, unlimited N&W,
Unlimited IN, LD included, tons of cities of coverage AND
Blackberry/unlimited EVDO data with laptop tethering), I'll stick with
my current plan. :)
--
E-mail fudged to thwart spammers.
Transpose the c's and a's in my e-mail address to reply.
| |
| 617 Phones 2006-01-25, 2:48 am |
| Incorrect? Twice? Let's go over it.
The FCC doesn't forbid activation of older non-E911 digital phones any
more than it forbids activation of obviously non-E911 analog phones.
The rule states that "100 percent of all NEW digital handsets activated
are location capable no later than December 31, 2002." It does not
preclude the activation of previous models, just NEW ones. It happens
every day. You stated, "The requirement is that all digital handsets
activated be E911 capable." The crucial missing word is NEW.
Your wording led me to believe that your assertion was that analog
phones didn't count towards the total percentage. That's where my
comment was directed. It's obvious now that you understand that's not
the case. Carriers may activate older non-E911 digital phones, but may
not sell them. The sale of obviously non-E911 analog phones is not
prohibited, just unlikely, given the 95% rule.
Then, my wording led you to believe that I was stating that carriers
couldn't activate analog phones. Quite obviously, you are correct that
a carrier may activate any analog phones as long as they meet the 95%
compliance. That's rough for a carrier like Golden State, where so many
users still need the extra punch.
Bottom line, I don't think either one of us was wrong. We just both
picked up on what wasn't written and "corrected" it! Thanks for your
clarification.
| |
| David S 2006-01-27, 5:48 am |
| On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:05:42 -0500, Isaiah Beard
< sacredpoet@sacredpoe
t.com> chose to add this to the great equation of
life, the universe, and everything:
>David S wrote:
>
>
>There definitely appears to bea distinction. If I look at my account
>plan details, one of the "features" of the plan is:
>
>- CDMA/DIGITAL PHONE
>
>Which indicates the billing system differentiates between phone types on
>each plan.
>
>
>For that you'd have to ask Verizon. Most likely though, it's a way of
>"sunsetting" older plans to remove them from the billing system as
>people are eventually forced to upgrade.
>
>Personally, I think it makes sense to just upgrade in many cases. I
>remember my first cellular plan with then-Bell Atlantic wasn't anywhere
>close to competing with what's available today. For $39.99, I got a
>whopping 30 minutes of airtime a month, long distance was $.12 a minute
>extra, and "home" coverage was limited to New York City, and the upper
>half of NJ. Unlimited weekends (no nights) was $10/month extra.
>
>On top of that, I had a similar plan with then-GTE MobileNet so that
>when I traveled south, I could switch NAMs and wouldn't be roaming.
>
>If I had a choice between the two plans then ($100 to two companies for
>about 60 minutes, with two or three cities of coverage), and the one
>plan I have now ($100 to one carrier for 450 minutes, unlimited N&W,
>Unlimited IN, LD included, tons of cities of coverage AND
>Blackberry/unlimited EVDO data with laptop tethering), I'll stick with
>my current plan. :)
I agree, but if the OP wants to keep his old plan, why, other than company
convenience, shouldn't he?
--
David Streeter, "a guy's guy" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"We love you Josh!" - crowd of women
"Thanks!" - Josh Lyman
"It helps not to know him!" - C.J. Cregg
| |
| David S 2006-01-27, 5:48 am |
| On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 13:50:53 GMT, Jerome Zelinske <jeromez1@earthlink.net>
chose to add this to the great equation of life, the universe, and
everything:
> They will not allow a tri mode phone, even if the digital is e911, to
>be added to an analog only plan.
They did it for my boss a few years ago when he bought a StarTac.
--
David Streeter, "a guy's guy" -- Dave Barry
http://home.att.net/~dwstreeter
Remove the naughty bit from my address to reply
Expect a train on ANY track at ANY time.
"I'm sure someone with your encyclopedic knowledge of the ridiculous and
dork-like can find a tree or a ferret that the public has a right to
visit." - Josh Lyman to President Jed Bartlet
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