#262479 - 09/08/2005 16:32
Prepaid analog cell phone
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pooh-bah
Registered: 31/08/1999
Posts: 1649
Loc: San Carlos, CA
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Just wondering if anyone knows if these exist. I'm doing a canoeing trip through the BWCAW in a couple of weeks and supposedly many parts of the area have verizon analog cell coverage, but it is too remote for anything digital to work. It would be nice to have a "disposable" phone to take along that would work at least some of the time. I'm not interested in any features other than enough durability to last through at least a week of canoeing/camping/hiking, a decent batter life and the ability to work with a weak cell signal. Thanks, -Mike
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#262480 - 09/08/2005 16:50
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: mcomb]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 31/08/1999
Posts: 1649
Loc: San Carlos, CA
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Actually, it just occurred to me that I have an old verizon (when they where GTE) analog phone in a drawer somewhere so now I'm wondering if there is any way to use prepaid minutes with an existing phone?
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#262481 - 09/08/2005 17:20
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: mcomb]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14478
Loc: Canada
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If you simply want it for "911" use, then you don't need any plan whatsoever.
And in many cases, even an old no-plan phone can still be used for credit-card calling by dialing "611".
Try it.
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#262482 - 10/08/2005 14:21
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: mcomb]
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old hand
Registered: 01/10/2002
Posts: 1033
Loc: Fullerton, Calif.
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I have an old Samsung SCH-411 pre-sim cell that I got for $3 at a garage sale. They seem to be everywhere. Verizon can use these for their prepaid plan. $30 for 45 days. The battery life is execellent and they are very tough (cover over the keys and such). It's analog and digital.
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#262483 - 10/08/2005 22:22
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: larry818]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 31/08/1999
Posts: 1649
Loc: San Carlos, CA
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Quote:
And in many cases, even an old no-plan phone can still be used for credit-card calling by dialing "611".
Great idea Mark. My old phone seems to be MIA though so I'm back to square one.
Quote:
Verizon can use these for their prepaid plan. $30 for 45 days.
Thanks for the tip. How did you go about figuring out that they allowed that phone and signing up? I'm not seeing anything on their site that looks like a list of supported phones for prepaid.
Thanks,
-Mike
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#262484 - 10/08/2005 23:16
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: mcomb]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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But doesn't analog cell usage cost upwards of $0.79/min? I love Verizon's nationwide analog coverage, but it can be pricey to call from the depths of a forrest or from a random mountain top.
I can still get Verizon service on my StarTac 7868W in every populous and remote place in this country... except sitting at my desk in my bedroom.
_________________________
- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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#262485 - 10/08/2005 23:31
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: mcomb]
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old hand
Registered: 01/10/2002
Posts: 1033
Loc: Fullerton, Calif.
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Quote:
Thanks for the tip. How did you go about figuring out that they allowed that phone and signing up? I'm not seeing anything on their site that looks like a list of supported phones for prepaid.
Like everything in my life, I just tried it. The Samsung phone is ideal, not way too small like today's phones, and covered keypad, so for $3 I bought it and brought it in. I did have to find the Verizon drone that didn't just throw up hands at it, but once I got the right one, there was no trouble. It seems that any of the older phones is ok with them.
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#262486 - 10/08/2005 23:50
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: larry818]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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I actually saw a note on one of my recent Verizon statements that said "we will no longer activate phones that are not 911 capable after" some time that already passed in 2005. I sure hope my StarTac is 911 capable, but if "911" means "GPS positioning", than forget it.
I'd heard they federal law <?> allowed a certain small percentage of phones on a provider's network to not be GPS capable. Maybe Verizon's trying to shrink that percentage.
_________________________
- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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#262487 - 11/08/2005 00:25
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: FireFox31]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Quote:
I'd heard they federal law <?> allowed a certain small percentage of phones on a provider's network to not be GPS capable. Maybe Verizon's trying to shrink that percentage.
GPS capable? Uh? I don't know of any phones that have a built in GPS feature that is just used for that. With digital (and I'm sure analog) you can actually triangulate the rough position of the phone within the cell based on which antenna of the cell has the strongest signal and the readings from other nearby cells.
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#262488 - 11/08/2005 00:43
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: tman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Apparently some phones in the US do use GPS for location information.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
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#262489 - 11/08/2005 01:32
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
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Ah okay. I remember reading ages ago about Qualcomm and something called AGPS which is basically a totally brain dead GPS unit and needs remote processing of the signal. There is no way of you getting the data since the phone doesn't have the necessary bits to decode the signal.
It appears to comply with the E-911 stuff you need to either have the cell location system that I mentioned before or actually have GPS/AGPS in your phone. GPS/AGPS would be good if you're out in the open but you're screwed if you're in a building, I guess it must fall back to the cell location systems.
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#262490 - 11/08/2005 10:02
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: tman]
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member
Registered: 12/08/2001
Posts: 175
Loc: Atlanta
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Actually, some forms of AGPS increase sensitivity so you can get GPS readings in buildings. The AGPS receiver only needs to decode the timing of the signals and not the ephemeris data. I've had a vendor say that the sensitivity can increase up to 17 dB.
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#262491 - 11/08/2005 12:16
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: Folsom]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Apparently the towers also give hints to the GPS receivers in the phones as to what satellites to look for in order to reduce the time it takes to acquire a signal.
_________________________
Bitt Faulk
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#262492 - 12/08/2005 02:56
Re: Prepaid analog cell phone
[Re: FireFox31]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 31/08/1999
Posts: 1649
Loc: San Carlos, CA
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Quote:
But doesn't analog cell usage cost upwards of $0.79/min? I love Verizon's nationwide analog coverage, but it can be pricey to call from the depths of a forrest or from a random mountain top.
Yeah, probably. I wasn't planning on using it much, just had one call that I wanted to be able to make on a certain date when I won't be near civilization. Otherwise I'd prefer not to have a cell phone on my vacation. Anyway, I think I've found another plan so it's no big deal.
-Mike
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