Verizon is still 60% analog....most of the rest of the world has stopped using analog.
Welcome, slacker. Yes, much of Verizon's wireless network still to this day remains analog. A little as couple years ago, when I got my first digital phone, the sales rep said how "superior" Airtouch's network was because of its dual network of both digital and analogy cells. Well, now I know enough that what he said was a bunch of crapola, as the problem with a dual network, particularly in areas of high call volume, is that the analog cells don't have the same capacity as the digital cells. So, if you're driving along, and traffic on the cell network is high, and enter an area supported or backed-up by an analog cell, you are more likely have your call dropped.
Verizon Wireless, for example, is now pushing its Internet services to its subscribers. But I told them unless they can improve upon connectivity in general area surrounding my community, forget about it. I receive an analog signal to my home, and notwithstanding a strong signal meter reading, it often cannot complete the circuit while dialing out from the area. If I am on a call driving home, & it gets dropped, which is always, irrespective of a strong signal reading, the phone can only continuously re-dial but not complete the circuit until I get to certain location near the crest of road, and even then the completed connection is extremely poor.
I was a bit flabbergasted to learn, after repeated calls to Airtouch, where the cell covering my neighborhood was located. To those who are familiar with LA, I live about 1/4 mile south of Muholland, which traverses the crest of the the Santa Monica Mtns. An rep told me, even though he wasn't supposed to for "security reasons," that the cell covering my area is down on Ventura Blvd. 4 miles over the hill & down at the foot of the other side of the mountain. And this is an analog cell. Maybe someone with a wireless background (el mat?) can explain how the signal can even reach me given this topography?
To add, a recent visitor with newly purchased tri-mode phone from Motorola (StarTac flip) with the Verizon trademark affixed tried to make a call from my home & could not even get a signal. It performed worse than my dual-mode phone. Can anyone speculate the reasons why?
I've been told that tri-mode phones perform worse than dual-mode phones. If so, then I would hypothesize that dual mode phones do not perform as well as single mode phones within the same area, and would provide further evidence of Verizon's need to upgrade its wireless network.
As for me, I looking to jump to GSM (SBC Wireless) whose network appears to be the only network with effective coverage in my neighborhood. |
