AT&T To Shutter 2G Wireless Network By 2017: Start Planning That Upgrade

AT&T To Shutter 2G Wireless Network By 2017: Start Planning That Upgrade

Sunday, August 05, 2012 - by Ray Willington
Still relying on AT&T's aging 2G network? Better hurry and make those final calls / texts. As the world collectively moves on to 4G, and even 3G in some places, 2G technology is becoming more expensive to maintain and less frequently used. Based on a new filing from AT&T, the world is being told that the carrier's second-gen wireless networks will be shut down by 2017. Only around 12% (~8.4 million people) of its customer base is still using 2G handsets, but that's still quite a few to push over to 3G / 4G. The company is promising to work "proactively" to transition them, but it stopped short of saying exactly what it would be doing. Between fear-filled notices and upgrade promotions (and the iPhone 7 or 8 by that point), we're pretty sure most folks won't hesitate to step into the next frontier. And besides, how much longer are those 2G handsets going to actually turn on?

Via: The Wall Street Journal | News Archive | Tags: ATT, wireless, Network, carrier
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By AKnudson on Aug 5, 2012

At&t has contracts on plans not phones, why would it be an issue, if At&t just stopped providing 2g service?

Besides anyone who still has a 2g phone in 2017 would be ridiculous.

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By rapid1 on Aug 5, 2012

T-mobile seems to be selling there 2G towers as well.

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By Joel H on Aug 5, 2012

I wonder if this means they'll be upgrading my area to 3G. I can't currently *get* anything but 2G where I live.

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By rapid1 on Aug 6, 2012

Yeah Joel I know what you mean. Mine is pretty mixed I use Wifi in my house if I walk to the curb it is 2G/3G if I walk 100 ft up the road it is 3G/4G if I go down the road 100 FT it is 2G until I get about a football field when it is then 3G/4G. SO it is kind of crazy (oh and that is for Tmous, Verizon, Sprint and ATT not just TMO). This is also not to mention I live in Atlanta which believe it or not is where those 4 all release first here and is always on the cusp of cellular, or has been up until now for many years.

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By karanm on Aug 6, 2012

Ray makes a good point too, if your 2G phone still works in 2017 then its something special and should probably be studied by Apple, Samsung and all the other phone manufacturers lol.

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