Thousands Of Mainers Will Need To Upgrade Their Phones In 2022
So, your motto when it comes to many things is, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? You swear by this school of thought, even when it comes to everyday technology, like your smartphone?
You're probably not going to like this, then.
Depending on what carrier you have, you may need to ditch that old 3G by the end of next year.
According to the fact checkers at News Center Maine, many national smartphone carriers who operate in Maine are planning to "sunset" their 3G networks. When that happens, your old 3G phone (and some older 4G phones) will no longer function. They will no longer be able to text, make calls, or access the internet.
They are planning to discontinue the older network in order to make room on the spectrum for 5G access.
When will this happen? At least one provider is planning to shutdown their 3G network on January 1st, 2022. Many others will discontinue allowing the use of 3G by December of 2022. Get more details about when your provider will be ditching the old 3G network by clicking HERE.
Now, if you don't want to upgrade to the newest phone, it is okay. An older 4G phone will work fine - there is no need to drop a massive chunk of cash on a brand new 5G 'droid or iPhone.
How many users will be affected? According to some estimates, about 9% of phones are still using the old 3G network.
So, are you going to be affected by the sunet?