On Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, the FCC is letting wireless operators shut down their analog networks. Those early Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) networks, which were first deployed in the 1980s to bring cellular service to the United States, will disappear as part of the analog sunset program.
According to reports, AT&T Wireless and Verizon Wireless will close down their analog networks that day. At the same time, AT&T will turn off its first digital network, which uses TDMA technology.
Because wireless operators have deployed digital networks with better performance factors, very few AMPS customer remain as most have upgraded and migrated to the newer networks.