Re: Dual Mode GSM + AMPS Phones?

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 15:08:19 UTC, Jud Hardcastle
<I5i5changethistodash5rbo@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In article <KIRoJuEXw9g9-pn2-TnYxRq3fI9oO@localhost>, kevink4@xxxxxxxxx
says...

Why do they make it so difficult to signup for GAIT now?

Why don't they still make a GAIT phone available for sale from them?
Nokia could have continued to make and sell the 6430i, maybe selling
it at a premium, for customers who need to travel and rural customers.
With the lack of other, modern features, they wouldn't have to worry
about it selling in large numbers.

It's never made marketing sense to me. Continuing to offer the GAIT
phones/feature until the end of both TDMA *and* AMPS would have been an
easy way to satisfy the users who needed coverage everywhere. The
structure is already in place--all it would cost them is a little bit of
support. Instead they voluntarily throw it away and let Verizon and
Sprint use it to lure customers.

I have the 6340i. No it doesn't have GPRS nor a camera nor all the other
latest goodies--it's a phone first, and a dxxn good one at that. I swap
the sim out to a JAM pda/phone except when I need TDMA or AMPS and
others would probably do the same. So they'd get to sell those users 2
phones.

from John
Which would be a big problem, because only mass production is cost
effective. When demand fall off, production gets shut down.

BS. Companies do limited production runs all the time for special
models. Take a look at 90% of the hardware Sears, Home Depot, Sams Club,
Costco and ACE hardware sells--special models made just for them. The
major expense on the 6340i is long since amortized--now all it would
take is to drop in some molds and load a tape. Take longer to QC and
package them than it would to changeover and back. If Cingular ordered
1000 or 10,000 6340i's Nokia would ask how soon. (Oops--I do see one
slight problem--Nokia didn't make all the chip(s) in the 6340--are
"they" still available?)

Cingular could even demand customers pay full price for the phone since
the only other source would be ebay--plus charging a fee for GAIT--maybe
even roaming fees. No, it's never made sense--someone at Cingular has
their head up their ass.

You may be right about some components. If they aren't available
anymore, it would require more investment to make a 6430i equivalent.

The only problem I've had with mine is the plastic button on the top.
I noticed one day that it was missing, and I had to use a sharp object
to power on/off. I bought a cheap, used, replacement on Ebay to get
the button off of it. Then, a couple weeks ago, I dropped the phone
on concrete. Noticed later it was missing again. Were they ALL this
touchy :) (I was using it that day because my regular phone's battery
was dead, and the car charger was left in my car, which was at the
dealership for service).

--

.

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