Will you still be able to call 911 for help? Check your cell service amid 3G shutdown
Whatcom County 911 is warning residents who may no longer be able to reach emergency phone operators on their cell phones.
Mobile carriers such as Verizon, TMobile, AT&T and Sprint are in the process of shutting down their 3G networks in order to implement more advanced services such as 5G.
As a result, many cell phones will be unable to make or receive calls and texts, including calls to 911, the FCC stated in a consumer guide.
What phones will be affected?
Many older cell phones such as 3G mobile phones and some older 4G mobile phones that do not support Voice over LTE (VoLTE or HD Voice) will be affected.
Phones that are more than a few years old may need to be replaced with newer devices to avoid losing service, the guide states.
What mobile carriers are retiring 3G?
AT&T retired all 3G services in February 2022, the first carrier to complete the retirement.
Verizon is will finish shutting down its 3G service on December 31, 2022.
T-Mobile is in control of various shutdowns for both its own services as well as Sprint’s. Sprint’s 3G network was shut down on March 31, 2022, as well as retiring Sprint’s 4G LTE networks by June 30, 2022. T-Mobile’s own 3G network will be retired on July 1, and has not announced a date of termination for its 2G services the carrier continues to offer.
Other mobile carriers such as Straight Talk, Boost or Cricket may still be affected by these announcements, as many carriers use Verizon’s, T-Mobile’s or AT&T’s networks to provide services. Lifeline mobile service may also be affected.
The FCC recommends visiting your mobile provider’s website for more information about how you may be affected.
Are other devices affected?
Other devices such as smartwatches, tablets, home security systems, some medical devices, vehicle SOS services and other devices that use a 3G network will also be affected.
Other products that also use cellular data when unable to connect to WiFi will also be affected.
The FCC recommends contacting the product manufacturers to confirm how your devices will be impacted.
This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Will you still be able to call 911 for help? Check your cell service amid 3G shutdown."
