tg@chmsr.gatech.edu (T. Govindaraj) (02/08/91)
Greetings!
I have been thinking about getting a cellular telephone and am
wondering if current cellular phones will become obsolete and unusable
when cellular goes digital. When are we expected to go digital? What
is the conventional wisdom on the format? (The immediate trigger for
this question is an article in the February 1991 issue of {IEEE
Spectrum} entitled "Ericsson bets on a cellular world".)
If digital cellular is expected in the next couple of years, I don't
want to spend a lot of money if the phone is likely to become
unusable.
Also, I would welcome opinions and suggestions about a small portable
that would fit in my spouse's purse (i.e., light and small), but not
too expensive. Any opinions on the advantages of going with PacTel or
BellSouth?
Thank you very much.
T. Govindaraj +1 404 894 3873 (voice) tg@chmsr.gatech.edu
+1 404 894 2301 (fax) tg@chmsr.uucp; 128.61.3.10
School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
765 Ferst Drive, ISyE-0205, Atlanta, GA 30332-0205, USAdave@westmark.westmark.com (Dave Levenson) (02/09/91)
In article <16768@accuvax.nwu.edu>, tg@chmsr.gatech.edu (T. Govindaraj) writes: > I have been thinking about getting a cellular telephone and am > wondering if current cellular phones will become obsolete and unusable > when cellular goes digital. When are we expected to go digital? What ... The next generation cellular telephones will be digital, but the service providers don't plan to pull the plug on the five million existing analog subscribers! The next generation of cell site equipment will allow digital and analog channels to co-exist, so that digital may be deployed slowly. New mobile and portable telephones will support both standards, allowing their users to roam freely between areas equipped with new and old cell site equipment. Neither the subscribers nor the service providers can be expected to swap their equipment overnight. For today, there is no digital service offered, and there are no digital mobile sets offered. An analog unit purchased now should remain useable throughout its expected product lifetime. Dave Levenson Internet: dave@westmark.com Westmark, Inc. UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave Warren, NJ, USA AT&T Mail: !westmark!dave Voice: 908 647 0900 Fax: 908 647 6857