If you don’t read the news on a regular basis, you might not have seen the recent announcement that the 3G service will be discontinued.
This year, all national cellular companies will, at some point, stop offering 3G services to their customers.
Phones that are only capable of connecting to these networks will be unable to make or receive calls, in addition to accessing any other data services that may be available (including emergency services).
Simply put, a smartphone that is only capable of connecting to a 3G network will eventually become so obsolete that it cannot even be used as a doorstop.
How to know if Your Phone is 3G or 4G?
A simple way to find out if your phone is 3G or 4G is if you open your phone’s menu and tap on the network icon, you’ll see “Sim card & Mobile network” as a viable choice.
If you go to that menu and then to “Sim card,” you’ll see “Preferred Network type,” and from there, you may see the three choices.
If you only see the options to “Prefer 3G” or “2G only,” then you have a 3G mobile device.
Seeing options like “Prefer LTE,” “Prefer 3G,” and “2G only” on your phone indicates that it supports 4G networks.
What will Happen with Your Phone?
Phones from the Galaxy S5 generation and later, including the iPhone 6, are completely functional. The vast majority of smartphones released after 2014 and flip phones released after 2017 should be fully functional.
However, international versions of popular Samsung phones and other gray-market gadgets that aren’t optimized for US networks are being disconnected. A 3G phone will no longer function if the Wi-Fi is turned off if the status bar doesn’t display “4G LTE” or “5G.”
Why is the 3G Shutdown Happening?
As a direct consequence of this, mobile network providers are forced to relay messages using a constrained quantity of available spectrum.
Suppose service providers have access to a wider spectrum for a certain connection standard (3G, 4G, or 5G). In that case, they may be able to provide improved coverage, dependability, and speed for their customers.
Therefore, if networks disable 3G, they will be able to repurpose the spectrum previously used for it to increase the performance of their 5G and 4G services.
This is the best course of action to take because 4G and, in particular, 5G are more cutting-edge and speedy service options that should improve the customer experience.
As a consequence of the discontinuation of 3G service, networks have the opportunity to realize cost savings by replacing outdated, energy-intensive equipment from the age of 3G.
In addition, this measure might make it easier to move forward with 6G.
Is Transferring to 4G Going to Slow Down My Phone?
Yes and no. Initially, your phone might slow down once 3G shuts down because a large number of phones will be using the 4G networks. But this will settle, and the speeds should go back to normal once the transition phase is over.
You may find that your phone works a lot faster with the upgraded network, so that’s a bonus.
Which Cell Phones will Not Work in 2022?
As mobile companies upgrade to 5G networks, many earlier cell phones, such as the iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, Samsung Galaxy S4, and many flip phones, will become obsolete by 2022.
When the networks are shut down, some TracFones, flip phones, Jitterbugs, and even older-style smartphones won’t be able to make or receive calls.
Phones from this era, commonly referred to as “third generation” models, have been around for nearly 20 years, and most carriers will stop supporting them in 2022.
Final Thoughts on Mint Mobile 3G Shutdown
With the rise of a 5G network, there is also an equal demand for faster and more reliable service. So naturally, like with any other new technology, the old ways will slowly disappear.
3G Network is soon going away, and people left with devices that will not support 4G or 5G options will essentially become useless.