Say Goodbye to Analog Cell Phones

It’s finally happening: the Washington Post reports that at midnight on February 18th, wireless networks across the country will start shutting down the old analog networks that launched the cellphone business 25 years ago.

Currently, there are over 250 million cell phone subscribers in the U.S. But only about 1 million of them still use analog networks. As early as seven years ago, cell phone carriers began offering deep discounts to anyone who traded in their old analog-compatible cell phones for digital versions, whose networks are much cheaper to support and maintain and allow for more data based services.

But anyone who hasn’t upgraded their phones in several years could be affected. Not only that, but cars with older versions of OnStar could also be affected, according to the report.

Fading Out [WP]

Join Baratunde Thurston (left), The Onion’s Director of Digital and author of How to Be Black, for an entertaining look at creative social media campaigns in our Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting February 16. Other speakers include Morin Oluwole (Facebook), Tim Devane (bitly), and SocialTimes' writer Devon Glenn.   Register now.