Telstra says ...you need a new handset !

[Smitty]

did anyone catch the news in the paper yesterday (Sunday's Age)
where Telstra announced that they will be closing all their existing
networks (GSM CDMA etc)
and from Jan 1 2008 all existing handsets will NOT work
on their new forthcoming new frequency (!) 3G network
and
that all 8.5 MILLION existing customers will be required
to purchase new handsets (preferably from Telstra of course )
and
Optus and Vodaphone customers will require ANOTHER
phone to access Telstra's network

I can't find any more on this today ..even on Telstra's website

is this crazy or what????

[gto-pontiac]

i know that telstra introduced the 3G but i didn't know that they will get rid of CDMA and GSM network.
well 3G do sort of run on GSM network so it should still work, but you wan't get the full of the 3G.
like most of our handsetsa re 2.5G phones.

[raoul]

Link

I think it's only CDMA customers that will have to buy a new handset?

[newman]

I think it's only CDMA customers that will have to buy a new handset?

I'm reasonably confident that the closure applies to Telsra's CDMA only. If it was GSM as well, it would figure to me that the other GSM service providers would have to close their networks as well to keep up, and I haven't heard of that happening.

[Stephen]

Do not worry ya'll...

You can no doubt still go into a Telstra shop tomorrow and pick up a new phone on a 2 year contract that they will happily sell it to you.

The date will get pushed back no doubt, do you actually think Telstra could roll out something on-schedule.