AT&T's 3G shutdown won't just affect old phones

Daniel Sims

Posts: 1,336   +43
Staff
Why it matters: For about a year, there have been warnings about what devices might get left behind when major mobile carriers shut down their 3G networks this year. The AT&T 3G sunset is just days away, and a group representing alarm companies says it needs more time to upgrade.

On February 22, AT&T plans to close the book on 3G to make room for the upgrade to 5G. It says it has given companies and consumers that rely on their networks three years' notice about this, but the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC) wants an extension.

In a filing to the FCC earlier this month, communication organization Public Knowledge claimed that factors like the global pandemic and the semiconductor shortage introduced difficulties in upgrading from 3G. In an FCC filing from earlier this week, AT&T points out that alarm company ADT has already upgraded nearly all of its 3G systems.

Alarm systems are just one area that faces problems from the end of 3G. In-car emergency systems like OnStar have to issue over-the-air or hardware updates in some older cars. Last summer, Amazon also warned that older Kindles that used 2G and 3G might lose access to the internet.

Along with AT&T, T-Mobile will shut down its 3G network at the end of March, and Verizon will follow suit at the end of the year.

Permalink to story.

 
Older Tesla’s rely on AT&T’s 3G too, including all Teslas until at least 2015. That’s probably around 100k cars, though they can connect to WiFi and can run off a phone’s hotspot. Still won’t help with the mobile app though. Iirc it’s a $500 upgrade to 4G lol.
 
They cut it proberly due to license costs or equipment maintaince.

I think in the event of a true emergency, you cant have enough poles with either 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G to be honest.

People playing with lives here.
 
My alarm company came in and upgraded my alarm system to 4G service a couple of years ago, in anticipation of this 3G shutdown.
 
Older Tesla’s rely on AT&T’s 3G too, including all Teslas until at least 2015. That’s probably around 100k cars, though they can connect to WiFi and can run off a phone’s hotspot. Still won’t help with the mobile app though. Iirc it’s a $500 upgrade to 4G lol.
Planned obsolescence.

Can I please get a car with none of that digital infotainment crap in it? I just want a car d*mn it.
 
Planned obsolescence. HSDPA+ is still sufficient for a youtube video and the usual stuff. 4G is damn good, I get in some spots even 200mbps+ speeds, so this whole "lets quickly move to 5G" is more because of money interests.
 
Planned obsolescence. HSDPA+ is still sufficient for a youtube video and the usual stuff. 4G is damn good, I get in some spots even 200mbps+ speeds, so this whole "lets quickly move to 5G" is more because of money interests.

Supporting older technologies takes up physical apace, spectrum and cost, would you prefer higher bills?
 
They cut it proberly due to license costs or equipment maintaince.

I think in the event of a true emergency, you cant have enough poles with either 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G to be honest.

People playing with lives here.
Not so sure about 2G since AT&T supposedly shut that down over 5 years ago which disabled a Garmin GPS that I had that used it for traffic reporting (had a standard phone SIM in it when I opened it to take a look). Garmin blamed AT&T for the loss of function due to a 2G shutdown.
 
Last edited:
Back