A discussion about the Telecommunication Industry

Some cell phone carriers including AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Alltel will be turning off their analog networks starting Feb. 19, 2008.  It's the end of the nationwide network that launched the U.S. wireless industry 24 years ago. The Federal Communications Commission decided in 2002 to let carriers turn off their analog networks in 2008. The radio spectrum that is freed up will be used by more efficient digital technology.  Up to a million older analog cell phones will lose service, but those are relatively cheap and easy to replace. The effects will be more seriously felt by people who have things that aren't phones but have built-in wireless capabilities, like OnStar cars.