TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Old Phones Can't be Activated Anymore

Re: Old Phones Can't be Activated Anymore

nonoise (william_warren_nonoise\@speakeasy.net)
Thu, 28 Dec 2006 19:26:41 -0500

support@sellcom.com wrote:

> We were told by Alltel that they could not re-activate any of our old
> phones because they did not have GPS for the E911. The ones we have
> are Motorola V.60 phones not antiques.

> They said it is a new Federal law.

> So don't plan on using older phones for much of anything.

> (I believed 'em so we have a rack of new Razors on the way.)

> Older phones that are already activated are grandfathered in but
> you can't change the number or anything.

The law they mentioned required cellular providers to update to the
"E911" system, i.e., it requires that your cell company deliver
location information to the E911 center when you call 911. Some
Cellular providers, such as Verizon, chose to externalize the costs of
providing location service for mobile phones by making their customers
buy GPS-equipped products, while others used a tower-based technology
which doesn't require any changes to the phones.

The question of what that says about certain providers and their
attitudes toward their customers is left as an exercise for the reader.

You may either switch to another provider that doesn't use the
GPS-based tech, or donate the phones for use by charitable
organizations.

William

A little learning is a dang'rous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring;
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.
-- Alexander Pope, Essay on Criticism

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