3G Network Sunset is coming!

5G has officially arrived and the 3G network sunset is the turning off of those networks, as mobile network operators shift spectrum, the lifeblood of cellular, to 4G LTE and 5G. Why are wireless carriers making this change? So that they can re-use their 3G spectrum to add more capacity on their LTE networks as well as to expand their 5G networks. That means challenges ahead for internet of things devices which rely on 3G connectivity.

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What exactly is 3G Sunsetting?

3G sunsetting means that a mobile network operator or carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, & Sprint here in the U.S.) shuts of the cellular infrastructure required to operate communication devices based on 3G (UMTS, HSPA, EVDO) technology.

What does this mean to you?

In the North America alone, there are an estimated 80 million devices with the majority of those being IoT (Internet of Things) devices which connect vehicles and drivers to their fleets through 3G cellular networks. As wireless carriers begin sunsetting their 3G networks, those devices will have to be replaced with 4G technology. Verizon has already announced plans to shut down its 3G service after 2019 and AT&T expects their shutdown to be complete by 2022. What is even more alarming is the fact that many people do not know that this is taking place, which means there could be a last second scramble to replace technology or be caught in the dark.