DIYbanter - View Single Post - OT

SMS

wrote:

but do try your old phone, the analog ones no longer work since every
carrier went all digital. the phones will still power up, but not see
any system since analog no longer exists

You really have to try it. I turned on my bag phone a few months ago
and got a recording that I could still make a call if I had a credit
card. I will try it again the next time I am in the car.

Yes, that was the American Roaming Network. You can pay by the minute (I
believe that it's $3/minute) or sign up with them for service at 25
cents to $1/minute.

Contrary to popular belief analog most certainly does still exist. It
was turned off in urban areas by major carriers, but out in rural areas
there is still a lot of analog service still operating. The FCC gave the
carriers _permission_ to turn off analog, they did not require that
analog be turned off.

A lot of coverage on the fringes of urban areas was lost when analog was
turned off in those areas.