Is it true that old mobile phone companies are soon to cut off their service to older phones?

Question

I am told that older mobile phones will soon become useless in the UK, because the phone companies are going to stop giving service to these "old timers".
I have two new phones, but have kept my old phone (about six years or so old) as a backup, in case one of the modern phones breaks down.
The old pay-as-you-go phone still has a fair amount of credit on it, so I also use it for unimportant text messages. My intention was to keep using the old phone until the credit ran out, and then hand it over to one of the phone recycling agencies.
But, if what I am told is true, the phone will become useless in a short time.
Can anyone please tell me what types of phones are to be compulsorily phased out, and when this will take effect?

Answer 1

yes its true. because you cant update the phones system or roam or 911 track them. call your cell company and ask them what phones and when they are going to do this.

Answer 2

1. Every gadget has a life cycle. Cell phone technology is getting more intensive all the time. As the phones become more powerful, the so must the systems that run them. This leaves little room for support for older phones.
2. When new products come out, people just have to have them. It's called "keeping up with the Jonses." Then fewer and fewer people use these phones and the systems stop supporting them because it's not profitable.

This is called "Planned Obsolescence." Without planned opsolescence the economy would go bust. That and profitability is why all products die or are phased out over time.

Answer 3

In Alaska, some cell phone companies are switching customers from "TDMA" phones to "CDMA" phones. TDMA is an older network that they will stop maintaining and CDMA is the new network. Phones that use the TDMA network would still work for a while as long as the companies don't actually remove the TDMA cell phone towers. As long as you don't discontinue service on your TDMA phone it should continue to work. Once you discontinue a TDMA phone you can't reactivate it, but you can still probably use it for 911 calls, even if you don't have a contract or cell phone service. This might not work the same way everywhere, and I don't know if this is how it works in the UK but it might give you a place to start.

Answer 4

certainly is. i had a letter from o2 the other day to inform me that they are stopping a service/network that was used about 8yrs ago i think but its the only one that certain older model phones function on.
they were offering a free different cheapie mobile or discount off an upgrade.
cant remenber all the models affected but the phillips c15 is one of them,also known as the savvy i think.
hope this helps.
ps: if you go on the o2 site there is a list off all phones affected and an explation of why they are doing it.

Answer 5

Yes.
Here's why. The analog service will be no more. Therefore any analog phones will be rendered useless.

Answer 6

this is true and you will find many old handsets on BT cellent have already stopped working.

Answer 7

yes

Answer 8

yes it is true

Answer 9

if it is true it's a shame - all that tantalum and all that bloodshed