Analog cellular networks, R.I.P.: 1983 - 2008

Marking the end of a remarkable era in cellular technology, the FCC is officially letting American carriers decommission their legacy analog networks as of today, February 18, 2008. Few of us still own a phone based on AMPS -- Advanced Mobile Phone System, ironically, despite the fact that there's been nothing "advanced" about it for many years -- but we owe the very existence of the world's modern wireless infrastructure to the introduction and overwhelming success of the Bell Labs-developed technology. So successful was AMPS, in fact, that it eventually covered virtually 100 percent of the continental United States, a statistic CDMA and GSM have only recently begun to approach.

In the US, Verizon, AT&T, and Alltel operate AMPS networks, and it's no secret that they've been itching to flip off the switch just as soon as the government would allow in order to free up cell sites, bandwidth, and maintenance dollars for modern digital systems (in fact, AT&T will be taking the opportunity to shut down its first-generation digital network as well). Verizon and AT&T begin closing their doors on cellular history this week, while Alltel will take a more gradual approach, phasing out its AMPS operations through September of this year.

So on that note, if you've got a late-model vehicle equipped with OnStar, DynaTAC, MicroTAC, Lifestyle, or some other relic from Motorola's glory days lying around, give it a proper send-off: light it up one last time, let it handshake with the airwaves it'll never see again, and in the unlikely event you still have an active account, place a call. Then take a second to marvel at how far we've come and go back to that Voyager, Tilt, or iPhone, knowing that in another 25 years, we could be doing it all over again.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 18th 2008 9:21AM]

A nostalgic day to be sure! I cut my teeth on RF engineering planning and optimizing AMPS networks. AMPS always beat the pants off of D-AMPS or GSM for voice quality but it sure chewed up the bandwidth and left a lot to be desired for features. It was good for one thing, making voice calls, and in a well optimized network it did it better than anything around today.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 18th 2008 11:58AM]

Who is that guy, he looks familiar.

[ORDXPRES Posted Feb 18th 2008 8:53PM]

You silly..this is the man that brings you the gifts every year for Christmass

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 20th 2008 7:55PM]

No, that's Ted Turner! That was the cell phone he used to use when he still owned his cable networks!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 18th 2008 8:40PM]

I had so many customer pissed that we were dropping the analog towers and that they had to switch out and get a new phone. Pain in the ass.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 19th 2008 3:33AM]

Proud to say I started on analog, well not that far back. haha

[teriyaki Posted Feb 19th 2008 1:24PM]

awesome photo, awesome photo.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 19th 2008 9:54PM]

He's the 11 herbs and spices guy.