Steven Lichter wrote:
>> I have one of these. Don't use it at all; it is not digital.
> As others have mentioned, many carriers will not activate such a phone
> as a matter a policy (not technically). Verizon in my area will not.
> The newspaper reported consumers are upset by this because there are
> many rural areas where bag phones are still needed for their power due
> to great distances from the nearest tower. Perhaps the cell phone
> company people think the whole country looks like New Jersey. It does > not.
> Such a phone might work as a 911 emergency phone or on an expensive
> pay-as-you-go basis. I bought an analog cell phone at a yard sale,
> powered it up, and tried to make a call on it. The system asked me
> for a credit card number to make the call. I believe they would put a
> call through but at a considerable charge, more so than commercial
> pay-as-you-go cell phones. I keep in my car glove box just in case.
> (I don't always carry my cell phone with me on local trips.)
> I would suggest powering up this phone and try making a call on it and
> see what happens. The phone should be able to reach 911 and you could
> test that by telling the 911 operator immediately that you're testing
> a phone. If asked for a credit card see if you can find out what it
> will cost to complete a call. In the middle of nowhere in an
> emergency a $10 call charge isn't so onerous.
I did power it up, it said it was not registered on the Verizon Network, and the 911 did work. I may just keep it in my truck since I get into some areas that don't have coverage. I know when I go to Los Vegas over the 15 highway, I lose digital.
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