I’ve been looking into getting a cell phone for emergency purposes, most likely via a pay-as-you-go plan, and in the process of research ran across the “next big thing.” I understand the FCC (that’s the American telecom regulating agency, for you non-US Dopers) has delayed allocating frequencies for 3G services, but for how long? Should I wait? If I get something now, would it soon become obsolete/useless?
Get it now, if you need a phone, it doesn’t make sense to wait for a technology you may or may not even use or need. Pretty much, if you’re only thinking about pay as you go, you’re not a big enough cell phone user to be using a 3G kind of cell phone. Also, 3G will take at least a couple of years to fully implement into the current infrastructure and even then, the old stuff probably will not be completely gone.
The whole 3G thing is a nasty mess and one that probably won’t be resolved soon. Part of the reason the FCC is unwilling to hand over the necessary frequencies is that they’re currently being used for military purposes, and seeing as how there’s a war on, I’d say its safe to say that the matter’s going to be on the low priority list for some time to come. Go ahead and get a cell phone. Considering what they cost these days (my prepaid phone was something like $40), its not like you’ll be out of a lot of money even in the highly unlikely event that the whole system were to switch overnight right after you buy your phone. (And they’ll probably have some kind of “trade-in” program, so you’ll be able get some of that back.)