NextG Ads changed after ACCC action.

Mick, got a SMS from Telstra last week advising me my CDMA mobile will be useless due to the CDMA network switching off on the 28th Jan 2008!

Not long to hold onto your phone.....

Guess I will have to make the switch soon!

Matt.

Mick, got a SMS from Telstra last week advising me my CDMA mobile will be useless due to the CDMA network switching off on the 28th Jan 2008!

Not long to hold onto your phone.....

Guess I will have to make the switch soon!

Matt.

Friend in Telstra informed me the CDMA system will not be closed in Feb '08 as originally advertised, and now is expected to close 6 months later, in August '08, due to various "technical difficulties"

Was also advised to wait a bit before getting a new phone as new models from the big manufactures will be released in the 3rd quarter of this year.

Yeah Mainey...I heard all that too, then got the SMS LAST week, so either Telstra is trying to bluff everyone to change over despite their technical difficulties of they presume thay will have them recified by then.

See that Nokia has their first NextG phone now...but no prepaid and charging like a wounded bull on the plans.

Im on a $50 cap with $250 included calls and have never exceeded that yet. Dissapointed if I have to change off it....sick to death of looking over plans etc for the 'best deal'!

Matt.

Phoned Telstra tonight to ascertain my 'pre-bill' amount and in the conversation the 'girl' informed me I should change over to a Next G handset, and she could send me one delivered to my door for woteva....

The final outcome was that the CDMA system is being closed in JANUARY 2008 and no matter what I said I was "told" in no uncertain terms it was correct information....

I can't guarantee the truthfulness of her information as she was probably only using it as a reason I should buy the handset from her tonight - ?

Matt,

Can't agree with your comment that Telstra are charging like wounded bulls on the NextG plans.

If you take out the cost of the Nokia phone from the equation, the plans are quite reasonable as far as any phone plan goes.

Telstra and Nokia cannot agree on acceptable arrangements for the handsets and therefore Telstra won't offer them to be included in a plan deal. So any plan you take out, you need to pay extra for the cost of the Nokia handset over the period of the plan.

But if you choose to buy a Nokia 6120 phone outright from anyone you wish, you can go to Telstra and take out a quite reasonable plan as low as 12 month period at $20 per month.
This plan gives a $5.00 rebate and $15 of included calls, which is actually much more attractive than the old $20 per month for the prepaid CDMA arrangement I previously had to use.

I am not a "fan" of Telstra by any means, but had to give the facts as I know them to be.

I've never seen cars get fixed in minutes.

I've never seen a mobile network that has coverage in remote areas.

Who would reasonably expect either to suddenly change ?

You would have to be brain dead to think a car could morph back to it's original state, but if a phone service provider tells you that a brand new network will give you better coverage, then I think it could be forgiven if people believed them.
Although I wouldn't believe a word that came out that little Mexicans mouth!

Running next g and CDMA phones on our trip to the Cape.
CDMA phone has better service in more areas
Will not be changing to next g until forced to

Friend using a Next G phone dropped out 13k north of Proserpine, my old CDMA had plenty of signal. Guess it just depends what part of the country your in, I will be keeping my old phone till the changeover date

I think Tera was comparing an Optus 3G to the next G....No comparison at all!!!! Optus is cr ap especially in WA!!

At the moment we can all agree that CDMA is still superior to NextG but as they increase NextG they decrease CDMA.

So I too am holding on till the last minute with my CDMA but I know it will get worse and eventually Next G will be far better (has to be...CDMA will be turned off)

Ahh we are but pawns in their corporate paychecks!!

Matt.

ive been on the road for three months. From Rockhampton to Adeliade via the Back of Bourke. Is better coverage than my vodafone and hasnt let me down yet...

Next G has been better than any GSM connection I have had. I have never had CDMA , so can't compare that. I am not a Telstra fan but Optus and Vodafone are probably worse. My previous Optus GSM service wasn't anywhere as reliable as this new Next G service. Don't be fooled into 3G as it only works in the city, Next G is the only way to go when CDMA is gone.!

Unfortunately I switched to NextG. One of the worst decisions I made. I use the phone extensively for work & in regional areas .

I have now tried & tested approx 5 next G Handsets, wow they are bad, great if you want all the gimicks advertising & foxtel etc etc. but if you want a phone that simply has:

1. A real car kit with direct conection external antenna
2. A phone for making & receiving phone calls
3. A phone for sending & receiving SMS messages
4. Coverage (its far worse than CDMA)

Then stay away from Next G for a while until they get the handset problems sorted out.

Coverage is more limited than CDMA in regional areas and good on ACCC for slapping Telstra on the wrist, because they were definately misleading and Telstra is simply lying about coverage.

For example their coverage maps of the NT are simply copies of the existing CDMA coverage, but in reality NextG coverage is only approx 70-80% of the CDMA coverage.

Basically the problems are:

1. Range is technically more limited than CDMA
2. Less Towers than CDMA (obviously that will change)
3. Crap handsets
4. Designed for Movies, Multimedia & advertising rather than communications and phone usage (or at least those features have been given more development than the basics)
5. Data is Ok, but incredibly expenSive

No phone I have found on NextG comes any where near my old Nokia 6385 CDMA and thats quite a few year old.

I use technology extensively and am happy to change & like to use data & new features - But Next Glitch just does not yet cut the grade.

Even simple things like I pay extra to subscribe to Telstra Memo, when they send me a message I have to press approx 6 keys & "extract data" just to return the call to the phone number in the message!!!! It takes me back to the functionality of the first bricks in late 80's. (yes I have checked that I'm not simply not able to find how to do it more quickly)

Even the finally released Nokia NextG is a very basic phone (at a high price) thats a few years old and just modified for NextG's propriatory network.

My recommendations are :

DO NOT change from CDMA to NextGlitch yet.

Telstra definately will NOT be given the go ahead to switch off the CDMA nextwork soon as NextG is still way behind.

IF (but its not looking good) Telstra realise the business users and travelers need a phone, message & data device (not a wiz bang advertising ridden camera) & get the coverage reasonable and release some decent handsets, it could be good.

I have been fighting Telstra to let me change back (does not matter about the cost of multiple car kits etc. as I simply need a phone that works where my old CDMA did), but apparently they lock you old handset off the nextwork & won't let you go back no matter what. - Ebay here I come for a replacement Nokia 6385.

We have a brand new Nokia 6385, in box if your interested....make an offer.

Regards Richard