February 22, 2022 (CNN Business) Twenty years after 3G was first introduced in the United States, paving the way for a new generation of mobile apps, the network is officially being phased out.
AT&T is set to pull the plug on its 3G network Tuesday, with other major US carriers expected to follow suit later this year. The move impacts everything from older phones to home alarm systems and roadside assistance systems.
To move its mobile customers over to 4G without service interruptions, AT&T (T), which owns CNN's parent company, has been providing free replacement phones to many users with a 3G device. It has also been attempting to alert customers to network changes through various methods.
"For nearly two years, we've proactively sent numerous communications via direct mail, bill messaging, emails, and text messages to help customers transition to next-generation networks before 3G services end on February 22," AT&T told CNN Business in a statement.
AT&T is shutting down its 3G networks as part of a greater effort to re-use the spectrum for 4G and 5G — newer standards that are more efficient than 3G. T-Mobile (TMUS) will do the same in the third quarter and Verizon (VZ) will do so by the end of the year.
For more information: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/22/tech/att-3g-network-shutdown/index.html
