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Verizon's 3G CDMA network is now shut down and older phones won't make calls

Updated: Mar 10, 2023, 3:31 AM

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Verizon's 3G CDMA network is now shut down and older phones can't make calls

With the ring-in of the New Year 2023, we have also bid adieu to the good ol' 2G and 3G carrier networks of yesteryear, that is, as New Year's Day was the last you could use your 3G phone or device on Verizon and T-Mobile with Sprint's carrier networks.

Those of you on AT&T have already gone through the motions, as Ma Bell announced its legacy network shutdown dates and sent letters to business customers regarding the 3G and 2G networks sunset for last February. While it is not exactly clear what will happen to your IoT connections just yet, such as the weather news in your oldie but connected BMW, those who have holdout 3G phones saw them stop connecting.

Verizon's 3G network is now shut down

Verizon 3G network sunset: January 1, 2023

After December 31st, 2022, if you are a Verizon subscriber still rocking a device that is 3G (CDMA) or 4G that does not support HD Voice (Non-VoLTE), the device will no longer make/receive calls, send/receive text messages, or use data services. Until Saturday, your device may have still been able to use these services, but no more, says Verizon:

As previously communicated, Verizon is actively decommissioning our 3G CDMA network. We expect this to be completed by no later than December 31, 2022. This decommissioning effort affects 3G (CDMA) devices, 4G Non-VoLTE devices, and network extenders.

As we are now very close to completion of our decommissioning efforts, we want to be sure our impacted customers are aware of what this means to their Verizon service, and what steps they can take to upgrade their device(s) to stay connected, on our 4G LTE and/or 5G network.

Verizon's 2G network is already sunset but don't worry about its 4G LTE network as this will be around together for many years to come still, as it provides Verizon's great coverage advantage before other US carriers, so no need to switch to 5G phones just yet, unless you want some of the perks that come with those, like all the bells and whistles of the upcoming Galaxy S23 series and its new Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 modem chips.

Will my 3G phone stop working when Verizon shuts down their 3G networks?

Unfortunately, yes, for the most part that needs CDMA connectivity, like making or receiving calls. "When we shut down the 3G network, there won't be data or voice service for devices that don't have at least have 4G capabilities. This means that while some device features might still work, you won't be able to access our network unless you upgrade to a newer device," say the carriers for all 3G phones when their respective networks are sunset.

T-Mobile 2G network shutdown

T-Mobile keeps mum on the retirement of its own legacy 2G GSM network, for which only a statement that "no date has been set" is currently available on T-Mobile's support pages. The 2G (GSM, GPRS, EDGE) network of the Un-carrier is still languishing on the 1900 MHz spectrum for now, with the usual warning that "voice and data services don't work at the same time when on 2G," and that one can't connect to the Internet during a call.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.