Do you have an old cell phone? You may need to upgrade this year or be out of luck

Post Views: 150

Incase you didn’t know, that old 3G cell phone may not work later this year. Cell phone providers, such as AT&T and Verizon, have been warning customers that their 3G Service will cease working when these and other companies fully go to 5G support.

This means that those 3G phones will not be able to go onto the Internet, as well as make cell phone calls (including 9-1-1). The only way these phones will work is when connected to a home or public WiFi Network.

Why is this happening?

When cell towers first went up years ago, they provided the 3G network that all phones connected to. When 4G was rolled out later, those cellular companies simply added the network to the existing cellphone towers. Now that 5G is launching, those companies need more bandwidth on the cell towers, so that’s why they must deactivate 3G.

How can I tell if I’ll be able to keep my phone?

Fortunately, this is painless and simple. On your cell phone’s main screen, in the upper-right or upper-left is an icon that shows which network you’re currently on. If it says LTE or 4G or 5G, you’ll be fine. If, however, it says 3G, then you’ll need a new phone as soon as possible. There are phones that are as expensive as $1,200.00, to as affordable as $30.00.

Verizon has just announced new cell plans during this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. More information about these plans can be seen on this website later today.