I activate and sell several TDMA cell phones per week. I'm at ICE at least 2-3 times per week. There have been several posts here about what is currently available through ICE, and what may, or may not be available through ICE in the future. This is the story from a ranking official at ICE:
GSM
Ice reportedly was going to release approximately 300,000 GSM lines in Dec 2008. That number was then decreased to approximately 100,000 lines. The reason being given for the reduction is that there are not enough cell towers to handle the influx of new lines. New towers were never built. Most recently, the figure of 100,000 new lines has been reduced once again to 50,000. ICE is hoping that the towers that they have in place now can handle the (potentially) 50,000 new lines. Therefore, as of now, there are supposedly 50,000 new lines that hopefully will be relesed in December, 2008.
As far as actually obtaining one of these new line, unless you were one of the first to sign up, your wait to acquire one will be lengthy. Residency or a corporation is required. No one at ICE was willing to state for sure that the proposed release date of December, 2008 will actually materialize.
What I have written here was relayed to me directly by an ICE employee. I cannot personally attest to the accuracy of what this person told me, but he seemed knowledgable.
TDMA
ICE has told customers that the TDMA lines will eventually be phased out, but this is not scheduled to occur anytime in the near future. ICE has 100,000's of customers with the TDMA technology. They will not drop this number of customers, leaving them without cell service, or leaving themselves without the revenue from these phone customers. As of now, there are only potentially 50,000 new lines to be released, while there are currently many times that number of active TDMA customers.
My conclusion of all of this is the fact if you are a Non-resident and are in need of a cell phone, TDMA is your only choice presently, and for the near future. One other factor to consider is that TDMA phones are dramatically less expensive than GSM phones, can handle text messages, are readily available, are ready to activate, and have great reception.
If you would like to discuss this further, feel free to contact me.
GSM
Ice reportedly was going to release approximately 300,000 GSM lines in Dec 2008. That number was then decreased to approximately 100,000 lines. The reason being given for the reduction is that there are not enough cell towers to handle the influx of new lines. New towers were never built. Most recently, the figure of 100,000 new lines has been reduced once again to 50,000. ICE is hoping that the towers that they have in place now can handle the (potentially) 50,000 new lines. Therefore, as of now, there are supposedly 50,000 new lines that hopefully will be relesed in December, 2008.
As far as actually obtaining one of these new line, unless you were one of the first to sign up, your wait to acquire one will be lengthy. Residency or a corporation is required. No one at ICE was willing to state for sure that the proposed release date of December, 2008 will actually materialize.
What I have written here was relayed to me directly by an ICE employee. I cannot personally attest to the accuracy of what this person told me, but he seemed knowledgable.
TDMA
ICE has told customers that the TDMA lines will eventually be phased out, but this is not scheduled to occur anytime in the near future. ICE has 100,000's of customers with the TDMA technology. They will not drop this number of customers, leaving them without cell service, or leaving themselves without the revenue from these phone customers. As of now, there are only potentially 50,000 new lines to be released, while there are currently many times that number of active TDMA customers.
My conclusion of all of this is the fact if you are a Non-resident and are in need of a cell phone, TDMA is your only choice presently, and for the near future. One other factor to consider is that TDMA phones are dramatically less expensive than GSM phones, can handle text messages, are readily available, are ready to activate, and have great reception.
If you would like to discuss this further, feel free to contact me.
