Future of TDMA network

Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?

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› See More: Future of TDMA network

ds wrote:
> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?

Uh oh...did not John Navas proclaim it was almost if not all GSM now?

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?
>
Are you actually seeing "Cingular" towers with TDMA/no GSM vs. roaming
on some other carrier? Here in north and central Texas there are still
quite a few small carriers that have not converted but AFAIK all of
Cingular's own towers have been done (couldn't say about old ATTWS ones
though). Pure guess--I'd say at least another six months to a year
before the small carriers are done. There may be a few that go CDMA or
wait for the next technology but the lack of new phones may force them
to go ahead and convert. A few GSM/AMPS models would have made it easier
for them but...
--
Jud
Dallas TX USA

ds wrote:
> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?

Supposedly in 2008, though nothing forces it to be turned off, and it
will likely remain turned on in some areas, but Cingular will turn off
the blue AT&T Wireless TDMA network in 2008 according to Beyond Wireless
who sells only TDMA prepaid at this time.

Also, while some people have said that in urban areas, every TDMA site
has been overlaid with GSM, I have found places in the San Francisco Bay
Area where my TDMA phone works fine, but where my GSM phone has zero
bars. Perhaps this is a result of technical differences in terms of
range, but I was surprised to see this.

ds wrote:
> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?

Considering how many Nokie 51xx TDMA phones I see out in north Texas, I
would imagine a lot of users would be pissed off when their phone no
longer works.

Going out on a limb here...I'd guess the TDMA side carriers will wait as
users upgrade or replace their phones before turning off TDMA. The
Nokias are great phones, but won't last forever.

DecaturTxCowboy wrote:
> ds wrote:
>
>> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
>> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
>> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?
>
>
> Considering how many Nokie 51xx TDMA phones I see out in north Texas, I
> would imagine a lot of users would be pissed off when their phone no
> longer works.
>
> Going out on a limb here...I'd guess the TDMA side carriers will wait as
> users upgrade or replace their phones before turning off TDMA. The
> Nokias are great phones, but won't last forever.


There are a number of mom 'n pop carriers that serve only AMPS/TDMA
clients whose primary revenue source is roaming fees. If they upgrade
their equipment to carry anything else will depend on their source
dwindling to a point of missing a boat payment, at which time they'll
either kit up to carry the new stuff or sell out and move to a small
island where snow don't go. "from my cold dead fingers...."

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Sat, 17 Dec 2005 00:04:36
-0700, ds <[email protected]> wrote:

>Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
>western US.

Yes in some places. No in others, e.g., there is *no* TDMA in California.

>When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
>coverage.

Now.

>And when will TDMA be phased out?

Already happening.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Sat, 17 Dec 2005 08:54:11
-0800, SMS <[email protected]> wrote:

>ds wrote:
>> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
>> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
>> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?
>
>Supposedly in 2008,

That's the AMPS sunset, not TDMA. (Sheesh)

>Also, while some people have said that in urban areas, every TDMA site
>has been overlaid with GSM, I have found places in the San Francisco Bay
>Area where my TDMA phone works fine, but where my GSM phone has zero
>bars. Perhaps this is a result of technical differences in terms of
>range, but I was surprised to see this.

Perhaps this is a result of ... you, lurking Verizon booster that you are.
I was not surprised to see this.

--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

Jer wrote:

> There are a number of mom 'n pop carriers that serve only AMPS/TDMA
> clients whose primary revenue source is roaming fees. If they upgrade
> their equipment to carry anything else will depend on their source
> dwindling to a point of missing a boat payment, at which time they'll
> either kit up to carry the new stuff or sell out and move to a small
> island where snow don't go. "from my cold dead fingers...."

It's a trade-off, but there is already a lot of used GSM equipment on
the market that these small carriers could get pretty cheaply. Maybe
they're just calculating when the best time to upgrade is, based on
dwindling roaming fees. The problem is that for their AMPS coverage, it
means installing a lot more cells to provide digital coverage,
especially with GSM, but even with CDMA.

Once Cingular shuts down their TDMA networks, and forces the remaining
subscribers to change handsets or leave, the smaller carriers will be
forced to do something.

According to my sources, the Cingular TDMA networks will be completely
turned off at the same time that they are legally allowed to turn off
AMPS, with dwindling TDMA sites until then.

SMS wrote:
> Jer wrote:
>
>> There are a number of mom 'n pop carriers that serve only AMPS/TDMA
>> clients whose primary revenue source is roaming fees. If they upgrade
>> their equipment to carry anything else will depend on their source
>> dwindling to a point of missing a boat payment, at which time they'll
>> either kit up to carry the new stuff or sell out and move to a small
>> island where snow don't go. "from my cold dead fingers...."
>
>
> It's a trade-off, but there is already a lot of used GSM equipment on
> the market that these small carriers could get pretty cheaply. Maybe
> they're just calculating when the best time to upgrade is, based on
> dwindling roaming fees. The problem is that for their AMPS coverage, it
> means installing a lot more cells to provide digital coverage,
> especially with GSM, but even with CDMA.
>
> Once Cingular shuts down their TDMA networks, and forces the remaining
> subscribers to change handsets or leave, the smaller carriers will be
> forced to do something.
>
> According to my sources, the Cingular TDMA networks will be completely
> turned off at the same time that they are legally allowed to turn off
> AMPS, with dwindling TDMA sites until then.


I've heard the same thing about the end of Cingular's TDMA. They're
paring it back in urban areas now, and they barely have enough AMPS to
stay legal. I imagine Cingular is drooling at the prospect of
converting all that spectrum to something that actually adds to the
revenue stream instead of just sitting there like so much dust on the
shelf. I expect some aggressive marketing sca^H^H^H scheme to polish
off the stragglers. Anybody that's thinking they'll continue carrying
AMPS after the sunset date is dreaming. And they could turn off TDMA
today without making the FCC grumpy.

--
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 07:04:36 UTC, ds <[email protected]> wrote:

> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?


Data point, after a drive down to San Antonio in Texas down US Highway
281

I carried my old AT&T TDMA phone along in case of emergency in an area
without GSM. My phone with service is a Cingular GSM phone.

Generally, most places were lucky to have a couple bars, a little
better around the little towns.

There were many areas without TDMA service. Some spots there was
Analog, but no GSM. Other areas, GSM but not analog.

From Lampasas down to within 40 miles from San Antonio, I had no TDMA
coverage. Full bars of GSM and Analog, but no D for digital on the
TDMA phone. Since both phones had full coverage, it almost had to
mean that there was NO TDMA service anymore.

It might have been interesting to write down more detailed
information, but since I was doing the driving, I didn't think it was
safe to do so


I suspect that Analog will still remain around, even in a limited
form, after the end of the mandate. One thing I haven't seen menioned
recently is the large number of GM cars with Onstar still out there.
Up until a few years ago, they were Analog only.

ds Wrote:
> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?

All TDMA service will be turned off by 2007.

All Blue handsets are discontinued March 2006 (the tdma ones and gsm)

the only offer 1 TDMA phone today, which is off the list in March
2006.

it thier way of saying Happy New Year.

the old "bait and switch" is going strong at the "orange".


--
eatoranges

"eatoranges" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> ds Wrote:
>> Cingular TDMA coverage is still more widespread than GSM in the rural
>> western US. When will Cingular's GSM network exceed their TDMA in
>> coverage. And when will TDMA be phased out?
>
> All TDMA service will be turned off by 2007.
>
> All Blue handsets are discontinued March 2006 (the tdma ones and gsm)
>
> the only offer 1 TDMA phone today, which is off the list in March
> 2006.
>
> it thier way of saying Happy New Year.
>
> the old "bait and switch" is going strong at the "orange".
>
>
> --
> eatoranges