3G is shutting down their CDMA phones on the 9 Aug 2006

Submitted: Friday, May 12, 2006 at 21:02
ThreadID: 33841 Views:2105 Replies:7 FollowUps:9
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WTF

Just got a letter that 3G is shutting down their CDMA network/phones on the 9 Aug 2006

I was on the Business $10/month plan with 15c/min calls - far cheaper than Telstra CDMA plans. The closest is the 3G $30 plan

I will have to decide on where to go next now (well soon)...
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Reply By: Motherhen - Friday, May 12, 2006 at 21:39

Friday, May 12, 2006 at 21:39
So Telstra wins yet again.

We have a little longer with Telstra (to start of 2008?). Then we'll all have to buy new technology yet again, and no doubt will have less coverage across the country. CDMA was improving too. Last year when we went across the Nullabor, after Esperance, next coverage was just past the border at the first cliffs lookout. We stopped for lunch and the whole week's messages came in. Then it didn't work until Ceduna. This year it worked for much of the way across.
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Follow Up By: Trekkie (Member - WA) - Saturday, May 13, 2006 at 01:17

Saturday, May 13, 2006 at 01:17
I have not done my research on this yet, but I understand the new technology that Telsta are using is able to use some of their existing CDMA infrastructure and that the coverage will be similar if not better. Time will tell.
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Reply By: S&N - Friday, May 12, 2006 at 22:26

Friday, May 12, 2006 at 22:26
i spoke to 3, its the orange network that is closing down and the orange customers will be upgraded to the 3 network for free. the letter just went out on 3 letterhead!
AnswerID: 172395

Follow Up By: Member - Stan (VIC) - Friday, May 12, 2006 at 22:40

Friday, May 12, 2006 at 22:40
3 Network is GSM network not CDMA network. I had CDMA phone with orange
upgraded to 3 and now I have (second) GSM phone....
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Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 12:33

Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 12:33
Stan, I was under the impression that the 3 Network is not GSM or CDMA it is different again and similar to what Telstra will be replacing the CDMA network with.
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Follow Up By: Member - Mike DID - Monday, May 15, 2006 at 08:53

Monday, May 15, 2006 at 08:53
There are 3 types of networks currently in Australia

GSM - 950MHz
CDMA - 850MHz
3G - 2100MHz 0wned by Telstra nad three

All that changes over the next 3 years is that CDMA-850 will be replaced by 3GSM-850. Telstra will reuse all its CDMA towers and aerials,. You will be able to r-use your CDMA(Analogue) Antenna.

Mike
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FollowupID: 428364

Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, May 15, 2006 at 09:10

Monday, May 15, 2006 at 09:10
Oh well that's not too bad then... I mean by the time Telstra switch of the existing CDMA network, my phone will no doubt be rooted and out of contract, so I can buy a new phone on contract for nothing and reuse my existing 6db atenna. Only downside is the assing around changing the handsfree kit (AGAIN!), but I guess I can handle that.
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Reply By: Member - Des - Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 11:43

Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 11:43
I've also got an Orange CDMA phone. Roams on Telstra CDMA when outside the cities. Call costs in the city are OK: e.g. 22c for 10 mins to fixed line. Orange is now run as Three and as Marquis says they are pulling the pin on CDMA in favour of 3G (which defaults to GSM outside their little network). I'm not interested in that.

Any other suggestions for competitive plans with CDMA coverage (at least outside the metro area)?
AnswerID: 172615

Reply By: Member - John (Vic) - Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 11:50

Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 11:50
The only CDMA network in existence in Australia has always been Telstra.
Orange or 3 as they now call themselves and anyone else who was promoting a CDMA service was simply reselling the Telstra service under their own name.

They are shutting it down as they simply priced the product to cheap, yep good for the consumer but not for themselves and they have been losing heaps of dollars and are now exiting all loss making areas of the business.
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Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Australia) - Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 13:15

Sunday, May 14, 2006 at 13:15
Not quite John, Orange has its own CDMA network infrastructure in some major population centres such as Melb/Geelong, Sydney, Brisbane/Gold coast and others roaming on to Telstra CDMA outside it's own network area.
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Reply By: Member - Des - Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at 12:08

Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at 12:08
As mentioned above, I am now with Three (formerly Orange) CDMA. From August (when Hutchison shuts its CDMA network in favour of 3G), my existing Nokia 3105 handset won't work. I asked Telstra whether I would be able to use it for Telstra pre-paid CDMA mobile. This was their reply:

"Regrettably Telstra does not support the activation of CDMA terminals, including phones, that have been supplied for use on the Hutchison (Orange) CDMA network or phones that have been purchased overseas.

If you have a CDMA terminal, including a phone, that has been supplied for use on the Hutchison (Orange) CDMA Network or that has been purchased overseas, you can port your number, however you must provide (or obtain) a CDMA phone programmed and supplied for connection to Telstra's CDMA network.

If your service is connected to Telstra's network via a CDMA Service Provider such as Optus,AAPT, Primus, Austar or Davnet, you will not be required to purchase a new phone."

So unless anyone has a clever suggestion for getting around this, it looks like my perfectly good Nokia is going to have to be recycled, and if I want prepaid CDMA I will need to buy new handset. What a waste!
AnswerID: 174428

Reply By: Slunnie - Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at 12:47

Wednesday, May 24, 2006 at 12:47
I've just bought a GSM/3G phone. I understood that Telstra is replacing the CDMA network with this network, and as the change takes place, then these phones will work on what was CDMA as they change over the base station things.
AnswerID: 174436

Reply By: Member - Omaroo (NSW) - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 13:08

Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 13:08
After being on Orange CDMA for so long, I decided that I just could not do without CDMA coverage - as that's all I get when on the property.

I changed to Telstra yesterday and picked up a new BlackBerry 7130e CDMA device while I was at it. Let's just say that I'm impressed. It runs very quickly on the EV-DO high-speed CDMA network for browsing (which I need to do to support my users) and it even runs an SSH secure shell so that I can get into my servers and run a command-line session when I need to reboot a server or do other maintenance from a remote location. Data is pretty expensive, so it's for emergencies only while I'm away from a desk. It also runs all of my email accounts from the one device, and I have all the address books brought across from my Outlook application.

Now I have internet/office connectivity AND CDMA coverage for another couple of years. By that stage I'll change to the 3G network and another BlackBerry device when that network expands to where I need it.

Very cool!

,img src="http://www.discoverblackberry.com/pc/images/product/device_fullsize/69_1.jpg">
AnswerID: 175629

Follow Up By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 13:58

Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 13:58
Work gave me a blackberry about a month ago. Oh joy oh rapture, now they can pester me with emails when I am away from my desk. :o)

Pete
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Follow Up By: Member - Omaroo (NSW) - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 14:02

Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 14:02
Yeah... but, like me now.... at least you can get away! I don't mind being in the 4by, up in the hills, and have to answer a quick question once in a while as long as I'm not chained to the damned office desk! :)
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FollowupID: 431693

Follow Up By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 17:37

Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 17:37
It just adds another important factor when choosing a camp site. Water, shade, ants, drainage, outlook, no mobile coverage ...

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FollowupID: 431737

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