Sorry lads, enjoy the suck.
Its unfortunate for those that are still using 3G, because if they do, they generally have a reason.
The range of 3G is far better than 4G or 5G, so it’s probably still used by people in rural regions, just to get any type of connectivity. Once 3G is shut down, their reception will probably get worse.
But since we live in a world where profit rules and this costs a lot for a handful of people, well, sucks to be them.
It’s what happened to my parents living in the countryside in Québec. At least they have internet at home and can use WiFi calls, otherwise they have simply no reception at all on most of their land. It used to work OK with 3G, but now that they are forced to use VoLTE, it sucks in rural regions.
Well part of the reason for the better range is lower frequencies, right? By freeing up the bands by ending 3G service, can’t they use these bands on LTE/5G?
Yes, the frequencies used by 3G will (likely) be repurposed for 4/5G.
I had to change phones when 3G was shut down in Manitoba because even though my phone could technically do VoLTE, it was a US model which wasn’t enabled to do VoLTE in Canada.
Yeah, Fizz told me the same thing in Québec last year, except that I have a Chinese phone from Mexico. I told them it was e-waste generation, that I’d keep mine until the last minute, and would just change provider and/or phone when it would stop working.
I guess I was lucky because a few weeks before the shutdown, the VoLTE icon appeared and it “magically” became compatible.
Thanks Saskatchewan Party for sabotaging SaskTel
This is slowly happening worldwide and just a capitalist thing. Solutions that are working for a few people but not profitable will be shut down. At least it’s not a device needed to live.
EDIT: You can blame whoever you want but here’s a link about the shutdown of 3G networks on the world: https://iot.cards/en/resources/guides/sunset-3g
Crown Corporations are meant to serve the people not shareholders.
Definitely a good way to start Halloween, imagine being in the boonies with a 3G phone with no service and big foot appears from the forest running towards you.
… screaming “Hey, dude, do you have some Internet: my old phone doesn’t get net anymore?!”
