Why is the FCC pushing this? Is it really good for the country or
> actually good for the carriers to make more money selling replacement
> phones and fancier services and plans?
RF 'spectrum' *is* a limited resource. Digital phones make _far_ more efficient use of that scarce resource than analog ones do.
Being able to eventually 'turn off' the analog cell-phone system
*completely*, makes it possible to reassign that spectrum to other uses.
I get offers from my carrier to "upgrade" to digital. They'll sell me
> a crappy phone and double my monthly charge and give me LESS than I > have now!
Has anybody *EVER* accused the phone company of having the customer's interests at heart?