How important is AMPS to have on a phone now???

[Pinky]

Well just like the subject says, how important is AMPS to have on a new phone? Because looking at the coverage maps most of Canada is covered with Digital, so AMPS my not be a huge thing to have on any phone.

The reason I'm asking is the new LG 5400 is looking like my choice for a new phone, so knowing it is only Digital I'm wondering how much I would really need AMPS...

Thanks

PiNkY

[frankie5string]

It's a bit of a tossup and depends on where you go with your phone.

My experience has been that there's a few places I go north of TO where having analog helps. A lot of my friends who travel to Hearst tell me they use Analog a lot out there as the fringe highway coverage is much better - even though they're technically considered a "low power" phone.

If you stay in metro areas it's not a big deal - and now even the sticks are well covered - but I'd still want the Analog functionality. Actually, I occasionally use Analog in certain spots of my office building where the digital signal doesn't penetrate... Often in the cafeteria and the corridor near the computer rooms...

[ciphin]

I travel a fair amount in Canada & in the US. My experiences are that AMPS is not overly important if you do a lot of metro hoping. Staying in large cities, highway corridors between major cities, etc. you won't have a problem with a digital only phone.

At the moment I have a Samsung A680 set to digital only. Even though the phone does have the ability to jump onto an AMPS signal, setting the phone to digital only allows the phone to hang onto a digital signal longer.

Over the last month or so that I've had my A680, I've only had to think about switching the phone over to AMPS. There's a section of highway on I87 from Montreal to NYC that doesn't have digital coverage. Other than that, I would not hesitate at all to buy a digital only phone for my travels.

If you find yourself in the sticks a bit, out in the bush, between mountains, etc. You should consider an AMPS enabled phone.

One thing to keep in mind, a store should allow you a grace period to return the phone if it just doesn't do what you need it to do. So take the phone to the places you are unsure about. If it holds or has a digital signal, then you're set.

Todd

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[Pinky]

Thanks for all the info guys, and ciphin, good idea using the return period, as that would be the best as I get to use where the phone where I do most of my travel...

Thanks...

PiNkY

[Paolo]

Well, the definition of CDMA = Carriers that Depend Mostly on Analog, it might be needed for quite some time.

[dirtyjeffer]

Originally posted by Paolo
Well, the definition of CDMA = Carriers that Depend Mostly on Analog, it might be needed for quite some time.

figures one of you GSM freaks would come in here and post something stupid like that...my nokia has yet to be in analog in the 10 months i have had it...digital only is fine for 99.5% of the time around where i live, and there is a lot of rural areas...in fact, many people who have used rogers GSM service, have complained about the coverage in a lot of the rural areas and have been pleased with the digital CDMA coverage bell offers, and analog just in case.

[Pinky]

Well Paolo I'm sorry you feel that way, why you had to come in here and voice an opinion that has no relevance, makes no sense to me. Looking at your profile it would appear you have little or no experience with CDMA...

Have fun with your GSM...

PiNkY

[charlie69]

Originally posted by Paolo
Well, the definition of CDMA = Carriers that Depend Mostly on Analog, it might be needed for quite some time.

Who cares if it's CDMA or GSM, bottomline is with Bell I have reliable service. Been using Bell since August, only 1 dropped call and it was with a Fido customer. More likely his service dropped the call

[DarrenGuy]

No GSM vs. CDMA please.

[Inquisitus]

What about users in BC? Any BC user have thoughts on AMPS in BC.

[Hello?]

With Bell, very important. (Note: I have been a CDMA user since 2000).

In my experience, Bell aims their signals to the streets, and only cares about indoor coverage if they have an agreement with the landlord (ie. where there's a Bell World store, PATH in Toronto and the Montreal subway). Usually, if I'm indoors I don't have adequate digital coverage and must fall back to analog during a call. Bell generally doesn't aim signal into buildings, for whatever reason. Analog, due to its higher power, seems to penetrate through most times.

This is fine by me, since the roads are BM's specialty, and where I make most of my calls. Although I have to put up with poor indoor coverage, I don't have to put up with the hard handoffs I would have to face on the other networks, which are evident at speeds greater than 80 km/hr (for those on the other end of the call).

BTW, before naysayers blame my area or my phone, I live, work and play around the GTA and York Region (frequent Peel on and off), and use the Motorola 270c (horrible on analog), the Samsung N370 (decent in analog) and the Nokia 3586i (also decent).

Lucky for me, I know how to get the secret backdoor signal when indoors!

[rip]

hmmm... so where is the BellWorld in my house?

[DaBones]

Originally posted by rip
hmmm... so where is the BellWorld in my house?

at www.bell.ca

[Paolo]

Firstly, I made no GSM vs CDMA comments.
Secondly, I merely stated in a humourous way that AMPS might be needed for a while, and if you guys would stop being so uptight and just relax, it was a joke.
Thirdly, while I'm here, I'm going to add something, I proudly used a Bell mobility company phone, and its great, but I said my comments based upon my experiences with that, has nothing to do with me being anti-cdma.



-Paolo
your friendly GSM freak, (thanx dirtyjeffer)

[Guest 153]

Wirelessly posted (PRO EDGE POST OF DETH: Nokia6620/2.0 (2.14.1) SymbianOS/7.0s Series60/2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.0)

I never had any problem with my digital only Bell phones.