JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – AT&T’s 3G network shut down for good on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
The company is phasing out this network in order to make room for the latest generations of mobile service.
Other carriers, such as Verison and T-Mobile, are following suit later this year -- and it won’t just impact older phones, but also everyday devices you probably own. That’s because a range of products require updates to continue working.
“If they’ve (customers) purchased their cell phone within the past couple of years -- it shouldn’t be an issue,” Chris Hamer, a technology consultant said. “The device should be more than 4G… 5G capable.”
But the impact goes beyond phones. It will also impact everyday devices such as home alarm systems, medical devices like detectors, in-car crash notifications, and roadside assistance systems like On-Star.
If left unaddressed, the stakes could be high in certain cases -- like vehicle systems not being able to contact first responders after a crash. To avoid a disruption of service, businesses are urging customers to upgrade or replace some products and services before they drop connectivity.
An ATT spokesperson told News4Jax they have given customers a heads up about the change via mail and text message. The carrier has even offered free replacement phones for those impacted. But ATT said less than one percent of their mobile traffic data runs on 3G.
“A lot of people have felt no need to replace this technology because it still works so now they’re going to be faced with your iPhone two is no longer going to be able to be used,” Hamer said.
T-Mobile said they plan on phasing out 3G by July 1, and Verizon said by the end of 2022.
Those with questions are asked to contact their service provider sooner rather than later.