Cell Phone Service Being Dropped

[Gem99ultra]

If you have a Phone 5 or older or a Samsung Galaxy S4 or older, you won't be able to make or receive regular calls once 3G is phased out. Verizon and AT&T, and others, are discontinuing all service to 3G phones by Feb. '22. That includes 911 calls, etc., i.e. ALL 3G service.

 

[MossRoad]

I thought iPhone5 was 4G/LTE.

 

[Xfaxman]

Yep, had to upgrade my Net10 flip phone to 4G-LTE.
It is still only $15 a month

 

[Mazeppa]

Where I live ... it doesn't matter what type of phone you have .... Almost all calls fail.

 

[Roadworthy]

I get it. 3G service will be discontinued. I did not know that. I had understood that the CDMA platform was being discontinued and if a phone wouldn't perform on GSM it would no longer work. GSM phones are the ones which require a SiM which the service provider provides - some free, some for a fee. When I switched to GSM my provider was no longer able to provide reliable service (Sprint / T-Mobile). I had to go to a Verizon provider to ensure a reliable cell phone. If you need to go that route check out Twigby or Boom. Both have Verizon service for a lower price than Verizon.

 

[PuffyC]

iPhone5 was 4G. What may be bigger is all the alarm systems and whatnot that still use 3G. If you have something that is not a phone that uses a cellular network, you'll probably want to see if it's 3G only. Cars, doorbells, garage door openers, medical devices, game cams, etc.

 

[k0ua]

Good news. Apparently the Ring base station works with 4G. I just checked. That is all that I have that needs cellular backup. So I think I am good to go with the loss of 3G networks.

 

[plowhog]

Apparently the Ring base station works with 4G.

Mine seems connected using juice cans and a string. I only get a "ring" long after someone was at the property, got back in their car, and left. I'm de-installing it.

 

[ruffdog]

Good thing I held off on getting a cell phone.

 

[k0ua]

Good thing I held off on getting a cell phone.

I think you would have had a very very hard time finding a 3G phone.

 

[Jstpssng]

Where I live ... it doesn't matter what type of phone you have .... Almost all calls fail.

We must be neighbors. The sad part is that 25 years ago service was great... I could make calls nearly anywhere.

 

[Alan W.]

SimpliSafe told us that their phone signal based systems run on 2g. And that it was still being used even though no 2g phones would work.

 

[SgtSluggo]

I thought iPhone5 was 4G/LTE.

iPhone5 was 4G. What may be bigger is all the alarm systems and whatnot that still use 3G. If you have something that is not a phone that uses a cellular network, you'll probably want to see if it's 3G only. Cars, doorbells, garage door openers, medical devices, game cams, etc.

Looking at a lot of the supporting documents regarding the discontinuation of 3g - it looks like while the 5 series phones could use LTE (4g) for data, they used a cell radio that used the 3g network for calls.

If you appreciated the size of the 5 series, take a look at the 11 and 12 mini line. They are nearly that small.

 

[5030]

I don't know 1G from 4G and really don't care. I have a Samsun Galaxy at the new SIM card fit fine. Wife had to buy a new phone however. Old ones will be targets for target practice, same thing I do with defunct computers. I put a bullseye on the hard drives and blast them.

Sure miss my old Nextel walkie talkie.

 

[oosik]

Loooong ago I had the ideal phone. Motorola Bag phone and vertical aerial up on the roof. HUGE 12V battery on the floor - it lasted three months before needing a charge. Then everybody changed from analog to digital. I had to get these crappy little cell phones. The keys are too small and the "range" - next to zero.

I truly love standing out on my porch when its really cold - trying to make a call.
Even better - the call finally goes thru - you then get to go thru the Malaysian two step - trying to get to a real person.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

iPhone5 was 4G. What may be bigger is all the alarm systems and whatnot that still use 3G. If you have something that is not a phone that uses a cellular network, you'll probably want to see if it's 3G only. Cars, doorbells, garage door openers, medical devices, game cams, etc.

My Wilson cell phone amplifier is 3G. Oh well, I went to VOIP a while back, and may as well unplug it.

 

[grsthegreat]

Ya, i remember my old radio shack phone and the huge battery. 5 watts…could cook a turkey.

unbelievable range. Analog.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Loooong ago I had the ideal phone. Motorola Bag phone and vertical aerial up on the roof. HUGE 12V battery on the floor - it lasted three months before needing a charge. Then everybody changed from analog to digital. I had to get these crappy little cell phones. The keys are too small and the "range" - next to zero.

I truly love standing out on my porch when its really cold - trying to make a call.
Even better - the call finally goes thru - you then get to go thru the Malaysian two step - trying to get to a real person.

By chance I ran across my old Blackberry in the barn yesterday. It was an analog phone that I had to retire when cell service went digital.

 

[Xfaxman]

My Wilson cell phone amplifier is 3G. Oh well, I went to VOIP a while back, and may as well unplug it.

Must be an old one, mine is 3G and 4G.

 

[bunyip]

The stores are pushing 5g here and the young 'must have' brigade can't get them quick enough even though 5g does not exist in regional areas, our 4g is ok but patchy when we move out a bit.