Users of old phones swear by them
And they swear AT those new digital phones, which many complain have more reception problems than the older analog models. I touched on some of this in my column today but have since been getting e-mail and talking to readers who are clinging to their old phones because…. they work.
“My phone has to be six years old,” one woman told me. “It’s so big and bulky that I’m embarassed to bring it out of my purse but it always works even when my friends’ fancy flip phones can’t get a signal.”
A man named Frank who lives near Alpena told me his son can’t connect with a new digital phone but his old analog clunker does every time. “New isn’t always better,” he said.
And Shari, who lives in subrban Detroit but read my column online while on vacation, sent an email about her expeiences with a phone that works on both analog and digital. “We are currently in Burlington, Vermont, visiting our son,” she said. “On the drive up here yesterday through the boonies near Lake George and Lake Champlain, my phone switched to analog regularly to maintain a connection, especially in areas where there was occasionally ‘no service.’ That’s our kind of territory — hiking trails in rural areas. My biggest concern is… who makes cell phones for that need? The hiker who falls? The camper who has his family at a remote site? The person who doesn’t live near an expressway?”
Good questions… and comments…all.
June 12th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
I know that we’re discussing phones but this analog vs digital is also happening with satellite tv. I have a C-Band satellite dish and used it for a few years before I “upgraded” to the smaller 18-inch digital dish. During a heavy thunder or snowstorm, my analog C-Band dish never lost a signal. However, during these same conditions the digital (so called superior) dish consistently loses signals. So whether it’s a cellular phone or satellite dish, analog (though it’s not suppose to be) is defintely SUPERIOR to digital (as far as receiving and maintaining a signal lock). Can anyone explain why?
June 12th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
Hate to dissagree with all of the analog junkies out there but after I switched to digital life has been much better for me. I live in Dafter MI (about 10 miles south of Sault Ste. Marie) and my analog signal was awful. Since the move to digital I have two more bars, bring it up to the max, and no drop offs. I have Cellular One service and am very happy. A lot of these responses I’ve read remind me of how people reacted when gas went from leaded to unleaded. Work out the bugs and everything will be just fine. Joe
June 12th, 2006 at 10:54 pm
The problem is we have raised a generation of spoiled and pampered children who think they need technology like cell phones and computers that they then use to meet perverts and fly off who knows where. Little kids do not need cellphones!!! They need a mom and dad who love them enough to know where they are, with whom and what they are doing.
June 13th, 2006 at 9:55 am
I was on the lakes for quite a few years and relied on a nokia 6160 for my security and doing my personal web site,FreighterFrank.com.At first it was an ATT provider then Cingular SBC that is now ATT,go figure.I have several friends with the new digital phones and they chuckle when I bring out my antique,but mine works and they use it as they can not get good reception,Frank Frisk,AKA “FreighterFrank” BoatNerd World Headquarters Port Huron MI
June 13th, 2006 at 11:54 am
Well, I’m not one to buy a new phone each year, but I like to keep sort of current… my current one is about 1 year old, so I guess its a dinosaur….
June 13th, 2006 at 4:39 pm
Will you please stop changing your RSS feed location? I just realized I haven’t seen a PCMike blog entry since May 14th.
June 13th, 2006 at 11:36 pm
I’m in the eastern UP nearby a Cellular One tower, about 1/2 mile, but have poor reception due to heavy tree cover. Solution: 3 Watt dual band cell phone amplifier, works wonders all over the area, analog or digital. Amazing difference in signal & usability.
June 14th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Analogs get reception where digitals dont, period. I was just told by my cellular one dealer that the analog towers are being taken off line. I have had no problems yet. They have tried everything to get me to give up my phone, but I guess I’m grandfathered in with analog.
I spend a lot of time wandering the woods in the U.P.. I need reception in case I’m stranded.