Verizon Wireless 3G Support Ending Nationwide

Verizon Wireless will be ending 3G support nationwide on December 31, 2022.

This means that any device that only supports 3G will no longer be able to connect to the Verizon network after this date.

Many older smartphones and tablets will be affected by this change, including the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.

If you have a device that only supports 3G, you'll need to upgrade to a 4G or 5G device to stay connected.

Verizon Wireless has delayed its 3G CDMA shutdown again, with no set date for winding down its 3G service.

The carrier initially planned to shut down its 3G network by the end of 2020, but has now pushed back those plans.

Verizon has been working to shut down its CDMA network for a couple of years now, with the goal of giving customers more time to upgrade to newer devices.

Fortunately for customers, network speeds have increased dramatically since the days of 3G, with Verizon's sub-6GHz 5G network bringing 5G access to millions of customers.

The shutdown will also affect businesses that use Verizon's network for their IoT services, such as Toyota's "Safety Connect" service, which is set to shut down in North America by the end of 2022.

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Verizon Wireless has delayed its 3G CDMA shutdown for the third time, with no set date announced for when it will wind down its 3G service.

The carrier originally planned to shut down its 3G network by the end of 2020, but it was delayed to give customers more time to upgrade. This decision was made in 2016, when Verizon warned customers that 3G service would end on December 31, 2019.

Customers who are still using older devices and plans will eventually be forced to upgrade, as the carrier plans to shutter the network as soon as possible. This news may be unwelcome for those who are struggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fortunately, network speeds have increased dramatically since the days of 3G, with Verizon's 5G network now available to millions of customers. The carrier's sub-6GHz 5G network was flipped on earlier this year, and its millimeter-wave 5G network was expanded to cover parts of 61 cities by the end of 2020.

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Verizon has closed the door on 3G devices, no longer allowing customers to activate them. This move is part of the company's plan to shut down its CDMA network and reuse the spectrum for LTE.

Verizon has been nudging customers away from CDMA for some time, introducing LTE-only basic phones and devices into its lineup. In 2017, the company launched the LTE-only LG Exalt LTE and Asus Zenfone V.

The shift comes as Verizon continues to strengthen its LTE network ahead of forthcoming 5G fixed wireless access and mobile service launches. The carrier recently deployed carrier aggregation technology in over 2,000 markets.

Customers who are still using older devices that only connect to the 3G network will eventually be forced to upgrade. Unfortunately, this means that businesses that use Verizon's network for IoT services will also be affected.

The shutdown of 3G will also affect subscribers who have stubbornly held on to their older technology, hoping it will miraculously work despite the warnings. They will face the likelihood that their service will be disconnected entirely, and their phone number will be lost for good.

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