[GreggT]

My apologies if this has been discussed but didn't see it in the archieves.

Apparently next year (07) will be the last year originally analog TeleAid-equipt cars will be able to access the service (for MY2000 there is no upgrade.......and for 2001-2003 it "depends on the version of equipment").

So what's the determining factor here?..........I have an 01 AMG......long since changed over to verizon CDMA digital phones........but the info on the MB site makes it sound like something more high tech is involved, not simply the phone......anyone know the inside poop?
TIA

 

[Peter Guenther]

They can probably change the tansmitter, from analog to digital. The Motorola "analog transmitter" was an obsolete product when MB decided to use it, and the only reason was the availability of systems in rural areas made analog a good choice. will Motorola do it I doubt it, since they have just divested their Automotive Division, and are focusing on "handsets"and technology. A manufacturer could do a product, much like you see when they closed their "Paging Division", and when they closed their "Iridium (satellite) program)I think their partnership was ATT and now Verizon, "Z' does not want any analog since everyone is going tri or quad band and are starting to reuse the 900 mHz channels for GSM that have obsolete systems on it.
Once the warranty period runs out, you will find that MB pulls back. The only reason analog has been around so long is that the FCC decreed they have to provide service since a lot of phones were given to people in need. The analog phones also did not comply to the 911, and GPS program.
You probably did not want to know that much, but 35 years of service, in engineering and sales does give me some insight.
In addition MB gets a spiff for every phone they activate that is why they made Motorola provide a unique phone for their cars and service provider, and could not move them. BMW has the same issue.
Its different in Europe.

 

[CalifSLK]

GreggT - 4/6/2006 12:13 PM

My apologies if this has been discussed but didn't see it in the archieves.

Apparently next year (07) will be the last year originally analog TeleAid-equipt cars will be able to access the service (for MY2000 there is no upgrade.......and for 2001-2003 it "depends on the version of equipment").

So what's the determining factor here?..........I have an 01 AMG......long since changed over to verizon CDMA digital phones........but the info on the MB site makes it sound like something more high tech is involved, not simply the phone......anyone know the inside poop?
TIA

TeleAid equipped cars have a full phone implementation in the car independent of your handset. It can call the service center when certain condition are met in the car such as airbag deployment thru its CAN Bus gateway as well as voice call to operators. MB contracts with carrier(s) for this service. Likely the availability of analog carriers nation wide can no longer guarantee analog only service, especially in urban area.

It will be interesting to see if the newer TeleAid equipped car will work in analog only areas. I switched to digital only phone 2 years ago and found that US84 from Fort Sumner to Sata Rosa NM was analog only. There are many places like this in the U.S.