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S47
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Posted by: cake

http://www.uwcc.org/pressrelease/uwccdoc32348.html

Seems like the S47 is a REAL world phone. It supports GSM 900/1900 and TDMA. I think it'll be an ultimate product for the current AWS users.

Posted by: tolwyn

Interesting, its one of the few I've heard of that will carry multiple frequency types instead of just specific bands. Only other one I can think of are the Motorola phones that have GSM and iDen abilities.

Are there any pictures available or further specs on the phone?

Posted by: mawti

Is it just me or does it just seem redundant? At first, a dual-mode phone may sound nice but how useful will it really be? Won't we need two seperate accounts if we want to use both TDMA and GSM on a SP like AWS/Rogers? Why would anyone still pay for TDMA if you have a GSM phone? Or do you think AWS/Rogers will let us fall back on the differnt frequencies when we lose a signal?
GSM to TDMA? Maybe since they're going to phase it out anyway. TDMA to GSM? Probabally not.
So I guess the only use is if you want to stay on TDMA and roam on GSM. But if you could do it all on GSM, why bother?

Posted by: tolwyn

You know, I didn't even think about that. That's probably true, you'd need at least one account for TDMA and GSM.

I'd imagine it would be useful for people who are normally on a TDMA network but when they travel abroad, they buy prepaid cards. This would enable them to use the same phone and memory bank.

However, it doesn't really seem to make sense to have two technologies.... guess we have to wait for the magical day when they all agree on the same bloody technology.

Posted by: mawti

You know what I think they should do? I think they should make TDMA....FREE! Thats right, FREE. For all those who can't afford mobile services, get a TDMA phone...cuz its free! If you want GSM/CDMA, you gotta pay! If you want WCDMA/CDMA2000, you better believe it, PAY! I mean, why still pay for outdated technology that is about to die anyway? Maybe make everyone phone support TDMA and make it like AMPS where when you don't get a signal, you can fall back on TDMA (I guess this only applies to NA since no where else has such extensive coverage).

"Free TDMA, get it today!"

Posted by: ··metaCOREtex··

dunno about FREE IS136 .. but extremely cheap prepaid and postpaid would @ least bring in some $$$ ..

but remembr, the BULK of users are NOT going to be 2.5G/3G users .. they will continue to be 2G and even 1G users ....

at&t [in canada, @least] still have a majority of users on analog .. so does it make sense to give away TDMA when ppl r still payn to keep their AMPS phones alive??? ....

Posted by: mawti

well i was obviously speaking tongue in cheek but you brought up another question...

WHY would people still buy analog only phones? I know some people signed long contracts back in the dark day before digital but aren't most of these finished already? Digital and PCS in Canada was introduced in 95/96(?). Did people sign like TEN year contracts or something? Apart from being the god ugly and heavy bricks, they also have poor reception and voice quality and all that other junk. How is there any advantage to use AMPS over say 'pay-as-you-go'? cost? how much is it anyway? i cant find any mention of analog rates on either bell or roger's site. does that mean the plans are the same as digital? that would be quite expensive paying by the minute.

and what about the phones themselves? do they still make them? do like Nokia work round the clock to churn out their best selling phone, the 918? or all these just surplus phones that the SP is just trying to unload? what happens if by some miricle, all these phones are sold. will there be new phones coming out? do manufactures still dump money into developing these technical marvels? i guess there are people dumb enough to keep on buying analog phones, why not? ~Audiovox Forever!

Posted by: nasauti

Quote:

Originally posted by mawti
well i was obviously speaking tongue in cheek but you brought up another question...

WHY would people still buy analog only phones?

Well, for those of us who lives in the city, of course we get crystal clear Digital reception whether it's TDMA or GSM. But there are those who lives in rural areas, Digital is simply NOT AVAILABLE. Here's the advertising quote straight from Rogers : "Our network covers 93% of the Canadian population with over 80% digital coverage." That's means there's a good 5million+ Canadians not getting Digital Coverage whatsoever. And here's an example :

So that's Alberta alone... if you wanna see more maps, just go to : http://www.shoprogers.com/store/wir...orkcoverage.asp