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Telus Starts Shutting Down Canadian Analogue Network
Canadian mobile operator, Telus has started shutting down its old analogue phone network, although the measure has raised concerns in some rural communities where the replacement digital signal is unreliable.
Telus spokesman Shawn Hall told The Canadian Press that the company was left with little choice with its stockpile of replacement parts running out. The company has spent the past year warning that it would eventually have to shut down the network.
Telus is looking at the possibility of offering boosters or specially adapted mobile phones for use in areas where the shut-down cuts off customers, but nothing has been confirmed at the moment.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business warned that the loss of analogue service will hurt residents and people who work in remote areas, such as loggers or farmers.
Figures from the Mobile World note that at the end of the first half of this year, the operator has recorded just over 70,000 customers on its AMPS network - compared to around 4.9 million on its CDMA service and 862,000 on an iDEN network.
Rogers Communications shut down its AMPS network last May.
On the web: The Canadian Press - Mobile World - Telus Analog Coverage Map
Posted to the site on 17th September 2008