3G network will be completely disconnected next year: what you need to know in order not to be left without connection

All major cell phone carriers—AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile—plan to shut down their legacy 2022G networks in 3. Millions of people in the United States who use them will have to buy new devices, writes The Washington Post.

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But Kami Griffith says her old phone may be the least of her problems. She is the executive director and co-founder of Community Tech Network, a digital literacy nonprofit in San Francisco. Griffith is concerned that the group's customers, mostly seniors and low-income residents, will find themselves either without a working phone or struggling to figure out how to use a new device.

“It will be very difficult for them,” Griffith said, noting that older gadget users have a harder time understanding new devices. “If everything is working fine, they don’t want to change anything.”

Why is this happening

3G network technology has been around in the United States for two decades. Verizon launched the country's first 3G network in 2002, and 4G has been around since 2010. In 2019, operators began to slowly roll out 5G networks, and soon large companies began to launch 5G smartphones. Now they need to focus their resources on building these new networks, saving money on maintaining old ones.

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“The reason carriers would want to get rid of old legacy technologies is to free up that spectrum,” explained Ian Fogg, vice president of analytics at mobile analytics company Opensignal. “If you switch off older technologies in most markets, that is, the bulk of countries, the spectrum license will allow them to be used in newer networks such as 4G and 5G.”

When 3G will be disconnected

The shutdown will begin in January 2022 and will last for the entire year. Currently all dates are approved and no problems are foreseen. However, the FCC recently accepted comments from groups and people concerned about the outage, which could lead to a delay.

When will blackouts begin in different companies:

• Sprint's 3G: January 1, 2022
• 3G AT&T: February 22, 2022 year
• LTE Sprint: June 30, 2022
• Verizon's 3G: December 31, 2022
• 2G and 3G from T-Mobile: not announced yet

What happens to 3G phones after this date

Your phone will no longer be able to make phone calls. Apps and websites will not work over cellular. You won't even be able to dial 911. The phone can still function over Wi-Fi for certain tasks.

How to know if your phone has a 3G device

Operators say they have warned customers using old phones that service will be discontinued. They are sending a combination of text messages, letters, phone calls and emails. If you have a tariff plan and you haven't heard from your operator, then in any case everything should be fine. But for your peace of mind, you can log into your personal account to check it out. If you are not sure or want to know which old device is not included in your cellular data plan, there are several ways to check it.

iPhones older than iPhone 6 will no longer work for calls and data, including the iPhone 5, 5C, and 5S. If you have a Samsung Galaxy S4 or older, this is a 3G device, but newer models may still need an update to work. If you have other devices not listed here, go to your carrier's website for a list of supported phones.

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Most people have nothing to worry about. The vast majority of phones in use are already connected to 4G and 5G networks. According to the GSMA Intelligence group of mobile companies, in 2020, only 4% of all connections in the United States were made via 3G.

Will it affect anything other than phones

Yes. Phones aren't the only technology impacted by the closure of these networks. There are e-readers such as Kindle with 3G, portable internet hotspots, alarm systems, personal alarm devices, monitoring devices and various other devices that rely on 3G. There are also non-consumer products, such as systems used in trucking and school bus dispatchers. Or if you have any kind of home security system or medical alert devices, such as ones designed to call for help if you fall, then call the company and make sure they won't turn off.

How to get a new phone

Most carriers offer free and low-cost replacement phones to customers with 3G devices, although specific offerings vary. For example, AT&T phone options vary depending on stock. If you are concerned that you need to learn how to handle a new device, look for something that runs the same operating system from the same manufacturer. But if you're ready for a major upgrade, then check with your carrier for any offers or discounts on the latest smartphones.

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Do I need to cancel the tariff plan of the telecom operator

If you decide that moving forward without a phone is preferable to upgrading, then yes, you should cancel your phone plan. Most carriers will allow you to do this without any penalties. However, if you forget to cancel your plan and don't upgrade to a working device, the company won't automatically stop charging you just because you don't have access to their network.

What to do with your old phone

Disconnecting 3G renders millions of devices useless. On resale sites, they won't make a lot of profit, but you can try changing their purpose. If it's a Wi-Fi smartphone, you may not have a phone, but you can still use it as a cute tiny TV, portable radio, social media portal, and game device. Or at least as an alarm clock. Even the old 3G Kindle can read books if you connect it to your computer and transfer them to it.

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