A lot of mobile phone companies (esp telstra) are trying to take advantage of the closing of the new CDMA network to sell people new plans they do not need. The CDMA network was mainly used for rural areas. If you have a SIM card in your mobile, your are not on the CDMA network. Salespeople will not tell you whether or not you are on CDMA unless you press the issue. Instead they will try to scare you into buying a new plan because 'it will all be too hectic' in a few months.

CDMA?  Who cares! Shut it down.  Old technology! Completely un-necessary. One day we will shut down "wired" telephones, you know.

http://news.smh.com.au/telstra-defends-network-after-death/20080226-1uxj.html

Telstra has denied claims a man died of a severe reaction to a bee sting because his mobile phone wouldn't work when he called for help.

Farmer Grahame Young died on February 8, allegedly as the result of anaphylactic shock after being stung while working on his farm at Merriwagga near Griffith in southern NSW.

His death is being investigated by the coroner.

The community of Merriwagga has been campaigning for improved mobile phone coverage, ahead of the shutdown of Telstra's CDMA network, and says the replacement Next G mobile phone service is not as good.

Complaints of poor service and reliability from rural and regional Next G customers have meanwhile prompted the federal government to delay the closure of CDMA by three months, until April 28.

Merriwagga community spokesman Brendan Appleby believes Mr Young's Next G mobile phone prevented him getting help in time.

"He tried to call the local hotel for help and he's been unable to get through for 10 minutes," Mr Appleby said.

"Ever since Grahame changed over he did nothing but complain about (the phone's) performance.

"He actually had taken it back into Telstra, who made a setting change in it, but the change they made, made no difference."