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The Analog Cellular Sunset and Who Is Affected
As of midnight on February 18, 2008, cellular telephone
companies will not be required to provide analog service. While most wireless
telephone users will not be affected by this transition (often called the
“analog cellular sunset”), some users may be affected. In addition, the
transition could affect some alarm systems and some users of OnStar in-vehicle
communications service.
You will not be affected by the transition if you:
You may be affected by the transition if you:
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use an analog-only handset (there are very few of these
left in service); and
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receive service from a cellular telephone company,
including AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, Alltel, US Cellular, and Dobson
(and other companies that market their services as “Cellular One”); or if
you
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use service that may rely on analog cellular radio
equipment, such as an alarm system with a wireless radio link or OnStar
service in an older vehicle.
Wireless Telephone Customers
All cellular telephone companies must notify their analog
customers at least four months before discontinuing analog service, and again
at least 30 days before discontinuing analog service.
If you use an analog-only or dual-mode analog-digital
handset and “roam” into another provider’s service area (for example, when
traveling), your roaming coverage may be affected by the transition. To
determine how your roaming service may be affected by the transition, ask your
wireless telephone company if any of its roaming partners will discontinue
their analog service after February 18, 2008.
How to Tell Whether Your Handset Is Digital or Analog
If you don’t know whether your current handset is digital
or analog, there are several ways to find out. If your wireless phone has
advanced features such as text or instant messaging, Internet browsing, an MP3
player, or an integrated camera, it is digital. If your wireless phone uses a
SIM card (a small, removable card that can be found under your phone’s
battery), it is digital. Some wireless phones display an icon indicating that
they have digital capabilities. If you have an older model “bag” phone, it is
probably analog. Many wireless telephone companies have helpful information
about their analog-to-digital transition plans on their Web sites. If you have
any questions about the type of handset you have, contact your wireless
telephone company or the retailer where you bought it.
Alarm System Users
The majority of alarm systems installed in homes and
businesses do not use a wireless radio signal to connect to a central
monitoring station. Some alarm systems, however, use analog radio equipment
and send a wireless signal – provided by a wireless telephone company – using
the 800 MHz spectrum. These systems are affected by the transition. According
to the alarm industry, out of a total 26 million installed alarm systems,
there are approximately one million systems that use analog radio equipment.
Wireless alarm systems installed before Spring 2006 generally used analog
equipment.
There are several ways to tell if your alarm system will
be affected by the analog-to-digital transition. Most alarm companies are
contacting their affected customers by letter, bill insert, and/or telephone
to arrange for replacement installation of a digital alarm radio. In many
cases, if you have an analog alarm radio that has not been replaced and the
analog wireless network stops operating, the radio will emit a “beep” or
warning tone. If you believe your alarm system relies on an analog wireless
radio and you haven’t heard from your alarm company, or if you’re unsure about
what type of alarm system you have, contact the company to determine your
options for maintaining service.
OnStar Subscribers
If you drive an OnStar-equipped vehicle, your OnStar
service may be affected by the analog-to-digital transition. OnStar is a
mobile, in-vehicle communications service that provides telephone service,
navigation information, and emergency services if you are involved in an
accident. OnStar partners with a wireless telephone company to offer this
service, which is currently analog-based. OnStar has informed the FCC that it
will stop providing analog-based OnStar service as of midnight December 31,
2007. OnStar will then provide a digital-based service.
OnStar-equipped vehicles have one of three types of
equipment: analog-only, analog/digital-ready, and dual-mode (analog and
digital). OnStar advises that analog-only equipped vehicles (generally, cars
older than 2003 models) cannot be upgraded and that OnStar service in such
vehicles will not work after December 31, 2007. Analog/digital-ready equipped
vehicles must be upgraded in order to work after December 31, 2007. Dual-mode
equipped vehicles will continue to work after December 31, 2007. To determine
the type of OnStar equipment in your vehicle and whether your OnStar service
will work after December 31, 2007, contact OnStar. You can contact OnStar by
pressing the blue OnStar button in your vehicle, calling OnStar toll-free at
1-866-579-7726 (have your OnStar account number or your vehicle identification
number available), or visiting OnStar’s Web site at
https://www.myonstar.com/adt.os. Enter your vehicle identification number
to determine if the transition affects your vehicle.
Wireless Telephone Users with Hearing Aids
The FCC has taken steps to ensure that digital handsets
are available that can be used with hearing aids. The FCC has imposed
requirements and deadlines on handset manufacturers and wireless telephone
companies to offer hearing-aid compatible digital handsets. See our consumer
fact sheet on these requirements at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/hac_wireless.html.
The Analog Cellular Sunset Is Not the Same as the DTV
Transition
In addition to the analog-to-digital transition for
wireless telephone service, Congress has separately set a deadline of February
17, 2009, for completion of the transition from analog-to-digital television
broadcasting. To find out more about the digital television transition, visit
our Web site at www.dtv.gov.
For More Information
For more information about this issue or any other
telecommunications-related issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental
Affairs Bureau Web site at www.fcc.gov/cgb, or contact the
FCC’s Consumer Center by e-mailing
fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or
1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
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1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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Federal Communications Commission
