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 Goodbye CDMA, growers now at "mercy" of Telstra 

Goodbye CDMA, growers now at "mercy" of Telstra

16/04/2008 11:36:00 AM
With the closure of the CDMA network on April 28 now a fact, the next question is how well will Telstra support rural mobile users with inadequate Next G service.

NSW Farmers Association president, Jock Laurie, acknowledges problems still exist but is optimistic that Telstra is committed to addressing ongoing issues despite the fact that the CDMA network closure leaves rural phone users without any political leverage on Telstra.

"(Telstra Country Wide NSW State manager) Brett Riley and his team have worked pretty hard to address the issues to date, and I don't see any likelihood of that changing," Mr Laurie says.

His own assessment is that some users are better off under Next G, some are worse off, and a big band in the middle have service equal to the service that had with CDMA.

President of the South Australian Farmers Federation (SAFF), Wayne Cornish, is similarly happy with his organisation's ability to work with Telstra Country Wide in his State.

"In terms of our ability to put a foot on Telstra's neck, so to speak, we've never had a complete impasse with Telstra," Mr Cornish says.

"I'd have to say that the people we're dealing with are sincere about making the network as good as it can possibly be."

Mr Laurie and Mr Cornish believe there will be an ongoing effort to fix reception issues where practicable and that nothing would have been gained by attempting to stall the CDMA network closure again.

"We are dealing with a reality that might be unpalatable, but it's with us," Mr Cornish says.

Telstra has committed to maintaining the emergency measures it put in place in January to help CDMA users migrate to its Next G service but only until mid-year.

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Comments


Date: Newest first | Oldest first
I got a new LG tu550 today it was replaced by Telstra as my Samsung wasn't listed as regional as they had previously told me. So sad CDMA is going. Our CDMA phone works a lot better than the Next G. So who has got it right the people or the govt?
Posted by susanne on 16/04/2008 8:00:17 PM
Is this a money making excrecise or what. Have just transferred to LG TU550 as well and put an LG carkit in only to discover that there is no direct contact with the external antenna. Can only get a generic one that will make direct contact which lasted two days before the teeth on the carkit broke off. In a day and age where we should be getting better at this we are going backwards big time.
Posted by Rob on 17/04/2008 10:54:04 AM
Done the same as a few others gotten the LG TU550. I am in WA and don't get very good service. I will be talking to wife and it drops out and that can cause two problems - the wife upset and I am not be able to find out if everything is ok at home in Queensland.

Lucky I still have CDMA as I get better service on it still not great but is than NextG.


Posted by Bob on 17/04/2008 5:16:21 PM
Have had LG TU 500 since Dec 2006.

I am very happy with its performance, I work in the NW NSW and SE SA.

In NSW I work in an areea from Wilcannia to Bourke to Tibooburra to Broken Hill.

There is not many areas that I cannot get service with my car kit with a 9db aerial.

I have modified my car kit by inserting a patch lead so as aerial connects as I insert phone.

I also use the NextG for internet using the modem and connecting it to external aerial.

Posted by HELFA on 18/04/2008 6:49:41 AM
I am sending this comment over the Next G internet.

A lot quicker than the satellite service and with the ability to move about with the computer is most welcome.

My LG TU500 has given good service around our block for the past 12 months.

In our case Next G has been a major improvement over CDMA in giving us better access to the internet.

We are 20km from our excahnge so ADSL is not a option.

Posted by Allan on 18/04/2008 7:46:15 AM

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We invite and encourage our readers to post comments. Comments are moderated and will appear as soon as our editor has approved them. When posting comments you agree to be bound by our Terms and Conditions.

Q: Do you believe the Next G mobile phone network is equivalent or better than the CDMA network?

Yes
(20.6%)

No
(79.4%)

Total Votes: 199
Poll Date: 16/04/2008

26/11/2008 | If we're serious about roo farming, we'll need to start with a breeding program and kangaroo EBVs for marbling and tenderness.
 
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