3G shutdowns could leave most vulnerable without a connection

Consumer advocates say the 3G shutdown will leave some of society’s most vulnerable people without critical communications tools. Many devices have moved to 4G networks and newer phones are now moving onto 5G. But a motley assortment still relies on the more rudimentary 3G service and consumer advocates are urging the Federal Communications Commission to slow the change, which is set to start in February 2022. Older and low-income Americans are more likely to be affected by the shift. If they don’t upgrade in time, their phones and life-alert devices won’t be able to call 911 or other emergency services, government regulators warn. Companies have long planned to phase out 3G networks to free up valuable resources for 5G networks, which carriers say will bring faster speeds and allow more mobile devices to connect than ever before. Phone carriers have resisted slowing the transition, arguing that they have warned for years that the transition is coming and that they’ve taken extensive steps to ensure that their customers aren’t disconnected. The FCC so far has taken a largely passive approach to the transition. The commission is “reviewing the record that’s been compiled on this issue,” said Paloma Perez, a spokeswoman for the FCC. In the meantime, consumer advocates are focusing on alerting city governments about the transition and how it might disproportionately affect low-income and elderly Americans, so they can take inventory of who in their communities might need to upgrade.