3G Shutdown Begins in February

All wireless carriers will retire their 3G services this year to free up bandwidth for faster LTE and 5G signals.

AT&T leads all other carriers, shutting down their 3G services by February 2022. T-Mobile will shut down the Sprint 3G TDMA March 31, the Sprint 4G LTE June 30, and the 3G UMTS July 1, 2022. Verizon trails behind with a plan to shut down their 3G services by December 31, 2022.

The FCC noted regional network carriers such as Cricket, Boost, Straight Talk and Lifeline mobile services providers use AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile’s networks. They are also affected by the phase out.

The dates provided are for completing the shutdowns, so carriers may retire some regions’ networks even sooner.

Phones and other devices to be affected include Apple phones older than the iPhone 6, Samsung phones older than the Galaxy S5, 3G Home Phone Connect, Apple iPad 2, and more. AT&T provided an online PDF titled “These phones will still work on our network after we phase out 3G in February 2022” for consumers to see if they will be affected. T-Mobile released a statement that anyone with a device soon to be phased out will be notified.

While this “3G sunset” does not affect most people’s phones (AT&T said in September that only 2.7 percent of its subscribers still rely on 3G services), some other older devices such as pacemakers, ankle monitors, home security systems, and vehicle connectivity systems are affected by the shut down.

Any alarm panel that has not converted to a 4G/LTE network will only work locally in the case of an emergency, as the central station will no longer be notified to call the authorities or send help.

The 3G shutdown also affects any vehicle with a 3G data modem, including some 2021 cars, trucks, and SUVs. This includes crash notification systems, concierge services, connected traffic and navigation, remote unlocking and start, data for WiFi hotspots and more. Data functions will still work in some cases, but voice functions will not.

Some automakers, including Honda and Acura, have already developed software updates, and drivers need to allow the updates to install before 3G is phased out. Other automakers, most notably Toyota and Lexus, will not offer their customers any path to continue receiving connected services, other than buying a new car.

WiFi on affected devices should still function, but data services used to access the Internet through 3G will no longer work. Affected devices will also no longer be able to make or receive phone calls or text messages, including to 911.