As a result, some devices and services will lose service.
T-Mobile will follow on March 31, and Verizon will wrap it up on Dec. 31.
(For the plans of smaller carriers like Cricket and Boost, see below.)
How the shutdowns will affect you depends on a few things.
If you have a phone released no earlier than 2015, you should be fine.
If you’re in that group, you will need to act.
And it’s not just phones that will be affected.
This may mean buying a new phone that connects to 4G LTE and 5G networks.
And if you qualify, the FCC’sLifeline programcould discount your phone service.
You don’t need to buy a fancy phone either.
Carriers sell a range of devices, including old-school flip phones, that connect to modern networks.
If you’re unsure about your rig, keep reading and drop a line to the manufacturer.
What if I have a 3G machine other than a phone?
When is the AT&T 3G shutdown?
AT&T shut down its 3G web connection on Feb. 22.
When is the T-Mobile 3G shutdown?
The carrier hadplanned to shutter iton Jan. 1 of this year but delayed it for three months.
When is the Verizon 3G shutdown?
Verizon plans toshut down its 3G CDMA online grid on Dec. 31.
The carrier announced its plan to shutter its 3G service in 2016.
When are shutdowns for Cricket, Boost and other smaller carriers?
Others are a bit more complicated.
