According to this RCR Wireless article, Cingular Wireless will be shutting down their TDMA and analog networks in 2008.  This will be the beginning of the end for consumer analog cellular phone service, as it fits in with the government’s timetable for analog to digital transition.

Cingular’s plans are nothing new, as the migration of the user base from analog to digital has progressed for many years.  The announcement is the start of the implementation plan and will probably get a little tweak here and there as customers either start migrating sooner, or add their comments, concerns & complaints to the companies plans.

What this really brings to Cingular (and other carriers as they phase out analog) is the reclaiming of needed wireless bandwidth to support the new GSM/GPRS/EDGE & UMTS/HSDPA networks that replace them.  In the end, it’ll be a good thing and you will see additional coverage even out some of the existing “dead” or marginal spots.