[opendtv] Re: Analog cellular service shutoff
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2008 20:10:11 -0500
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-279722A1.doc
The repercussions of this analog cellular switchoff, to occur at the
service provider's option no earlier than 2/18/2008, are amazing.
The car companies offering telematics systems, such as OnStar from GM,
are using this switchoff as an excuse why the systems on many cars, some
no older than 2 years old, either need to be upgraded at customers'
expense, or simply "cannot" be upgraded. That's when they apparently
tell their customers "please buy one of our new cars to retain this
safety feature you really should not do without."
Supposedly, systems on cars as new as 2002 or 2003 cannot be upgraded,
they claim. No way. And no sensible explanation as to why. Sounds to me
like it should be a straightforward upgrade to just change the cell
network, without necessarily upgrading the older system's feature set.
Customers are screaming, and rightfully so. They aren't asking for new
features, they are only asking that their system keep working. And there
is no technical excuse at all why this shouldn't be possible. Turns out,
the older "non-upgradeable" systems have two separate modules: a
cell-phone module and an in-car sensor interface module. It would seem
very straightforward to develop a kit with new cell phone module,
retaining the other module as is. It's just a link, after all.
The hands-off telephone service and the safety features already offered
by the older system (e.g. airbag deployment sensor) ought to be very
easy to keep operational.
In this blurb, they try to blame the FCC:
http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/digital_transition.jsp
Apparently, a class action suit has be filed.
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/onstar-digital
Something to think about, next time an OnStar ad comes on TV, eh?
Bert
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