from
http://news.theage.com.au/cdma-network-no-longer-ringing/20080429-2995.html

After months of public and political debate, Telstra's CDMA mobile phone
network was switched off in the early hours of Tuesday morning with barely a
whimper.

According to Telstra, the shutdown occurred without any problems.

"The switch off went to plan with no incidents reported from the very few
customers that were still connected to the old CDMA network," Telstra
spokesman Peter Taylor said.

"While the past few days have been very busy in our shops and dealers, the
vast majority of CDMA customers made the move to the Next G network many
months ago with the new network already boasting hundreds of thousands more
customers than CDMA ever did."

A spokeswoman for the Consumers' Telecommunications Network said they had
not received any calls of complaint since the network's closure.

"We haven't received any calls today," the spokeswoman said.

She added that they had received a high number of calls leading up to the
original January 28 shutdown, but that this had reduced to a trickle in the
past two weeks.

"I think most were suffering from consumer complaint fatigue, given the
resigned tone of those calls," the spokeswoman said.

"Most people were hoping against hope that it wouldn't close."

Telstra Country Wide director Gary Goldsworthy said the telco was now
focused on the decommissioning of approximately 3,500 CDMA sites across
Australia and the removal of redundant equipment.

"The CDMA network equipment is now up to a decade old and well past its use
by date," Mr Goldsworthy said.

"Our technicians will therefore be removing old CDMA equipment and anything
of value will be reused, sold or recycled."

CDMA customers are being reminded that have until the end of May if they
wish transfer their old mobile phone number to a Next G service.

Telstra said it will continue to operate the 1800 888 888 support line for
any customers with any concerns with their new Next G handsets.