TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Re: Bill Would Rein in Cellphone Firms / More Rights Sought For Users

Re: Bill Would Rein in Cellphone Firms / More Rights Sought For Users

hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com
22 Dec 2006 12:03:08 -0800

Monty Solomon wrote:

> By Andrea Estes, Globe Staff | December 20, 2006
> Now Michael W. Morrissey, the Senate chairman of the Joint Committee
> on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy, is putting forth
> legislation to impose new regulations on cellular phone companies to
> make them more responsive to consumers.
> In addition, the legislation would allow customers with poor service
> to terminate their contract with their cellphone company without
> having to pay hefty penalties.

Definitely needed.

I suspect the companies have a pretty good idea of how well their
networks actually perform in service.

However, according to the cell phone articles in I&T magazine
(previously posted), a part of the problem is the ever higher consumer
demand for cell phone service and the finite space of radio
frequencies. The more 'tricks' they do to compress signals and
squeeze in more conversations the more risk there is of trouble. With
the coded digital transmission on a common frequency, if there happens
to be no available space, the call becomes hung. (I&T said calls are
interspersed between silent periods of conversations.)

I don't think they anticpated the massive demand for cell phone
service. It was one thing for business people to get and individuals
to get it "for emergencies". But now families give a phone to all
their kids, even young ones, and the texting and voice consume
channels. (Apparently the data (all non-voice) transmissions can be
sent on a delayed basis which makes them easier to accomodate.)

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