Tens of thousands of cell phones and other wireless devices could stop working today as AT&T shuts down its' 3G network in the U.S.

AT&T is the first major carrier to abandon the older network that first debuted in 2002.

With much of the nation now working on the updated 5G network, which provides the high speed downloads needed to power our smart phones, tablets and other devices to stream video.

If you have an older phone that does not support 5G access, you will no longer be able make or receive calls, text messages, or use any services requiring wireless data.

Those devices also will not make 911 calls.

This is a particularly important for those who may have held onto older phones to use in case of an emergency.

More Than Phones Are Affected

Countless home alarm systems, medical devices, e-readers, tablets and other devices operated on the 3G network, and will no longer be connected.

In some cases, a software update will allow those devices to continue to operate. The only way to know for sure is to contact the manufacturer.

Even if you do not have an older AT&T phone, other carriers are also planning to drop their 3G networks in the months ahead.

  • Sprint: March 31
  • T-Mobile: July 1
  • Verizon: Dec. 31

If you have a newer phone, you will not notice a change. The newest devices, such as Apple's iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, and Samsung's Galaxy are already set up to utilize the newer, faster, 5G networks.

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