CDMA/3g retirement

[Sighluss]

https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-218813/

 

https://www.mobileworldlive.com/featured-content/top-three/att-upgrades-3g-spectrum-to-5g/

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.multitech.com/documents/publications/marketing-guides/MT_Anticipated_Sunset_Cellular_Carriers_PDF.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjwueay7LDlAhUKjq0KHTCPBE4QFjAMegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw27gnRCNV5uJsDHyQEFiYcn

 

I think the progress of our cellular networks have been amazing since their conception. We've gotten faster and more stable networks with more coverage than ever before thanks to the demand for communication. Whether it's for business, pleasure or sharing dank memes there's no mistaking it we now need instant communication in our hands at all times. It's almost like communication is one of humanities core needs or something. With this progress comes the phasing out support  of older hardware in some of these links show which products will no longer be supported. So prepare your tech inept friends and family members for possible upgrades, becoming the person called for any and every problem with the new devices and hope they don't get upset at you for "putting a virus" on their new phones. 

 

If anyone has more info than I found please share it with me.  As I'm preparing to help half a dozen family members transition.  

 

MT_Anticipated_Sunset_Cellular_Carriers_PDF_2019-02-20_Update.pdf

[Zodiark1593]

My own device, while it works with data just fine over most LTE bands, supports neither VOLTE nor the low frequency bands (especially Band 12) that are quite important where I reside. So I'll probably upgrade either next year (perhaps for iPhone 11S/12), or when forced to. I'm on T-Mobile, so we'll see how long they'll keep 3G around for.

[williamcll]

People in remote areas are going to suffer as well as people in enclosed buildings without no 4G extenders.

[Sighluss]

8 hours ago, williamcll said:

People in remote areas are going to suffer as well as people in enclosed buildings without no 4G extenders.

I definitely agree, unless carriers are going to address these issues it could spell bad news for many remote communities. This could potentially be a safety issue for those communities. 

I'm not sure how carriers plan to address these issues or even if they will at all. I will attempt to find sources focused on this particular issue.  

As far as the issue with larger buildings,  I feel the obligation to provide 4g extenders will fall on the buildings owners, that is if they want to keep a competitive edge in the market.  

To clarify,  for me personally if I was looking to lease a building for my business or to inhabit and I had two options: one that is a dead zone but otherwise offers everything required and another who also has everything required plus signal extenders I'd definitely choose the one that had extenders included. 

[Sighluss]

12 hours ago, Zodiark1593 said:

My own device, while it works with data just fine over most LTE bands, supports neither VOLTE nor the low frequency bands (especially Band 12) that are quite important where I reside. So I'll probably upgrade either next year (perhaps for iPhone 11S/12), or when forced to. I'm on T-Mobile, so we'll see how long they'll keep 3G around for.

See you are exactly the type of person from.  How many people locally do you think are going to be negatively impacted? Whether it be financially or because they are tech challenged. 

[RejZoR]

I can use 3G instead of LTE and get even better speeds sometimes... Which is around 25Mbits... Even if they'll ever use 5G, it's not ever going to even reach me lmao

[aisle9]

I remember when AT&T retired its analog/1G networks back in 2009-ish. Because of how slow the progress of mobile networks had been up to that point, lots of people (my ex-wife included) had devices that didn't support 2G at the time, and they all promptly lost their shit. And when you consider the timelines in play, it's not that unreasonable of a reaction. 1G lasted nearly 30 years. 2G wasn't widely accepted in the US until the rise of the first smartphones in the very late '90s/early 2000's, IIRC. Then new generations started flying off the line. 3G was more or less standard on new phones by 2010, and very quickly thereafter AT&T started their 4G-lite HSPA+ network, confusing the shit out of millions of users who wanted to know why 4G was so slow.

 

Meanwhile, 2G is already gone for AT&T and going fast for everyone else, and AT&T already intends to end its 3G/HSPA+ network within five years of shutting down 2G. Pulling the plug on 3G, imo, will result in a pretty massive shitstorm, as the type of people likely to still be on 3G phones are probably the same people likely to have been on 2G phones up until the bitter end. AT&T's rush to get rid of 3G is a little more confusing given that their LTE network still doesn't have the same coverage that 3G did by the time 2G was cut, but they want those frequencies freed up for 5G and it shows.

 

After doing way too much research into 5G as part of deciding on whether to buy a new phone this year at all, my general impression is that there's a lot of doubt about the tech's viability outside of small, densely populated areas. At least, there is for the next few years, long enough for LTE to be the standard long after 5G is formally rolled out. With a rushed discontinuance of LTE unlikely, people buying an LTE phone this year should be safe for a while yet.

 

On the plus side, the discontinuance of 3G should render almost all cell phones in the US effectively operable on any major network. IIRC, the difference in tech that prevented GSM and CDMA from playing nice doesn't exist with LTE, meaning that it would primarily be software lockdowns keeping an AT&T iPhone from being transferred to Verizon. Don't quote me on that: it wasn't exactly a high priority when I was looking around.

[Donut417]

This is literally the only way they can build out a 5G network. They need the bands used for 3G. I won’t be surprised if other carriers follow suit. They can’t keep taking spectrum from OTA tv providers, as some of us still use good old OTA tv. 

[Zodiark1593]

1 hour ago, Donut417 said:

This is literally the only way they can build out a 5G network. They need the bands used for 3G. I won’t be surprised if other carriers follow suit. They can’t keep taking spectrum from OTA tv providers, as some of us still use good old OTA tv. 

I want to use OTA, but no signal resides where I'm at.

 

2 hours ago, Sighluss said:

See you are exactly the type of person from.  How many people locally do you think are going to be negatively impacted? Whether it be financially or because they are tech challenged. 

I'm just the type that doesn't like to change up devices often. Will probably go with a proper flagship this time around as i will actually keep it long term. Might change carriers too as T-Mobile isn't very reliable here. Though it means no more unlimited tethered Netflix (binge-on) as i don't think anyone else will let us get away with it which pretty much kills tv for us.