[Scan-DC] More on OnStar ceasing analog operation

[WB4LNM at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/6/2007 5:57:39 P.M.  Eastern Standard Time, 
shawnerz at yahoo.com writes:

Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2007  20:55:40 -0800 (PST)
From: Shawnerz  shawnerz at yahoo.com

"Cohenner,

It is possible (but not very likely)  that some carriers will continue to 
provide analog service.
If you're really  interested, click on the "Report Filing" button and read 
through some of the  reports
filed.
...
It looks like Onstar was originally told analog  service would be around for 
a while.  Then they found
out analog would  be going away so they foot the bill to convert their units 
to  GSM.
...
-Shawn"  

It really doesn't matter to OnStar whether carriers continue to provide  some 
level of analog service after the end of the year because they have  
explicitly said for the past 18 months or so that they will not continue to  offer 
service via that technology after the end of the year.  They will  only accept 
month-to-month extensions to their current customers with  analog-only phones to 
that point in time.  That's why they are (now)  offering to convert the 
remaining analog-only autos to full digital, and abandon  those who don't.  
 
OnStar has known that Verizon and other carriers were rapidly moving away  
from analog coverage many months (years) ago because they can serve more  
customers in the same spectrum footprint (albeit that the voice quality is much  
poorer, IMHO).  They have also been able to implement more security  features in 
the digital service that wasn't in the original design when AMPS was  born.  
 
We need to remember that the late-to-the-party announcement by OnStar might  
result from its ownership by General Motors.  GM wants to entice /  encourage 
/ force the sale of new cars, and I'm sure some people with  analog-only 
radios actually bought new cars because they felt OnStar has value  to them (which 
it may), and OnStar portrayed no upgrade path for them prior to  the letter 
two weeks ago.  GM / OnStar knows *exactly* which cars have  active analog-only 
OnStar users, and they have some knowledge of the aging of  the fleet they 
have already converted (from "digital-ready analog"), because  interestingly, 
they *require* you to provide the car's mileage when  updating the radio (strange 
question, yes?).    
 
So, I now return you to our major topic of scanning the spectrum in  DC.   
Thanks to all who joined in this  discussion!



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