AT&T has shut down its 3G network on February 22, bringing to an end an era that showed people the true power of cellular internet. 3G will be remembered for being the platform on which Apple’s App Store was born, allowing people to download apps on the iPhone 3G at what was, then, blazing fast speeds compared to EDGE and GPRS. According to AT&T, the 3G network shutdown will allow the company to re-use the spectrum for 4G and 5G.
3G, or the third-generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology, was launched in the early years of this millennium, and brought about a sea change in mobile internet connectivity. However, it has long been superseded by 4G – and now 5G, – so it makes sense for carriers to invest in newer, faster, and more efficient technologies. Following in AT&T’s footsteps, Verizon and T-Mobile also plan to shut down their respective 3G networks before the end of this year.
With AT&T shutting down its 3G network on Tuesday, a lot of pre-LTE devices and technologies are becoming obsolete. While most people have moved on to newer devices that support 4G and 5G connectivity, some older devices in circulation will no longer be able to connect to the internet following the shutdown of AT&T’s 3G network. That includes several older 3G smartphones, including the iPhone 5 and older models. Other impacted products include 3G e-readers like Kindles, flip phones, and a bunch of Android devices released in 2012 and before. Some home security systems vendors, like My Alarm Center, also announced that customers will have to replace some of their hardware for the devices to continue to work as planned.
AT&T’s 3G Shutdown Will Also Impact In-Car Software
The 3G shutdown will also impact in-car crash notification and roadside assistance systems like OnStar, which is found on many GM vehicles, including Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac. According to OnStar, AT&T’s decision will impact certain 2015 models and newer GM vehicles. With the 3G network shutdown, they will now need to be updated or replaced so that they can continue to work as expected. The company started rolling out updates last October, so it is expected that most of the affected systems should have been fixed by now.
It is worth noting that 3G devices will still remain functional in general, it is just that they will lose their ability to connect to AT&T’s cellular network. That means older smartphones with Wi-Fi connectivity will still be able to download apps, play multiplayer games, and even make phone calls using VoIP apps like WhatsApp or Skype. They will also be able to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and pretty much any other social media app, as long as the apps still support the old and obsolete operating systems these AT&T devices are running on.
