Definitions:

Analog technology is a method of modulating radio signals so that they can carry information such as voice or data.   This electronic transmission mechanism takes place by adding signals of different frequencies or amplitude to carrier waves of a given frequency.  In the past, broadcast and phone transmission have for the most part used analog technology.  The analog concept also denotes fluctuations, evolutions, and continually changing processes.  Analog is regularly represented by a series of waves.   These analog waves mimic the wave forms of our voices.

Digital describes electronic technology that generates, stores, and processes data in two states: positive and non-positive.  Positive is expressed or represented by the number 1 and non-positive by the number 0.   Data transmitted with cellular phones that use this technology are expressed as a string of 0s and 1s.  Each digit is known as a bit.  A string of bits that constitute a group are known as a bite.  Digital cellular phones take the voice of the user and encode it into a stream of data.  The digital cellular service provider takes this stream of data, and converts it back into an analog signal, which the person at the other end of the phone call hears.  This conversion process is the basis for many advanced wireless features, such as the availability of the Internet and e-mail on the user's cellular phone.

        Analog phones have been around much longer than digital phones.   Their use today is much more extensive than the use of digital phones.  Even though, experts argue that digital phones will be the norm in the future, it will be very hard to drive analog phones out the market.  There are many coverage areas that are only serviced by analogy systems.   It will take quite a few years for digital coverage to match the coverage provided by analog networks.
        No matter what technology we talk about, cellular communication is one of the fastest and most demanding telecommunications applications.  Presently, there are more than 45 million cellular users worldwide, and around 50% of those users are located in the United States.  It has been forecasted that cellular systems using digital technology will become the universal method of telecommunications.  Estimates predict that there will be more than 100 million cellular subscribers around the world.  It has also been estimated that by the year 2000 some countries will have more cellular phones in use than conventional phones.   The following figure shows the growth of cellular subscribers worldwide since 1991 and predictions of coming years:
 
 

Advantages of Analog phones:

-Extensive coverage area:  because analog phones have been around much longer, they have coverage virtually all around the U.S.  Additionally, analog
  systems from all over the country are compatible.  This means that a user can travel around without loosing service.

-More equipment options: analog phones are made by almost every wireless phone producer, in all shapes and sizes, and analog phone will work on any analog
  system in the U.S.  Digital phones, on the other hand, may be one of several different and incompatible technologies, this can be a great problem when the user
  wants to switch providers.   For example, if you bought GTE digital phone (TDMA) it won't work on Airtouch's digital system (CDMA)

-Data Compatible: if you need to hook your phone up to your Palm Pilot to send a fax, you need an analog system.

-Less Dropped Calls: analog is more elastic, in the respect that when the signal is weak or distant, the elastic can be "stretched" in which case there will be
  some static and hiss, yet the call can still go through.   On the other hand, the signal on digital phones is so thin, that if it is momentarily interrupted the call
  will result in a hang-up.

Disadvantages of Analog phones:

-Battery use: analog phones transmit signals continuously during communications, this causes their batteries to run out faster.

-Unable to use future services: cellular phones using analog technology will not be able to use certain services that will only be provided to digital users.
  Services, such as Internet and e-mail connection, will only be available for digital phones.  Phones that use support future services must be compatible with
  other digital machines, such as computers.
 
 

Advantages of Digital phones:

-Improved Call Quality: digital enhances voice clarity, filters background noise, and eliminates static.

-Security: due to the use of digital voice transmission, calls can not be scanned.  The issue of fraud is virtually eliminated by the CDMA system, which is the most
  secure wireless communications technology available today.

-Improved Efficiency: digital phones require less power than analog phones.  You will also get longer hours from you batteries.

-Dual Mode Equipment: some digital phones are dual-mode, which means that if you travel into an area not currently covered by a digital network, your phone will
  continue to operate on the analog system.

-Ready for Future innovations: firms providing digital network services believe that digital phones will be able to support next-generation services, such as
  wireless Internet applications.

Disadvantages of Digital phones:

- Less Coverage Area: even though digital phone networks are growing rapidly, their coverage is not as extensive as that of analog phones.

- Less Equipment Available: there are less accessories available for digital phones than for analog phones.
 
 

Links to Cellular Phone Manufacturers: