With all the talk of 5G wireless technology being on the horizon, many of us are overlooking the sunset of 3G sunset technology. While this older form of mobile communications tech might not be as exciting, the change is going to affect a lot of people.
The alarm industry is one sector where consumers should be paying more attention to the 3G sunset. This is true for business security clients and for those who have alarm systems for home. As cellular service provides start to shut down their 3G networks, alarm systems that use this technology may experience significant issues that will compromise protection.
As a leader in Kentucky alarm system services, Cornerstone Protection is here to help you understand this transition and we are also ready to help upgrade your safety system from 3G. Read on to learn what you need to know about the 3G sunset and your safety system.
What is the 3G Sunset?
The 3G network is a necessary step in the evolution of wireless communications. With newer technologies like 5G on the way, manufacturers and cell service providers are shifting away from the old 3G technology to LTE (Long Term Evolution). As this shift occurs, service providers are going to discontinue support for devices that operate on the 3G networks.
The cutoff date for 3G is tricky to pin down. Different service providers have different plans for the transition, and some of them have even announced plans only to change the date later on. As an example, 3G Sunset Verizon initially planned to stop support for 3G at the beginning of 2020. When they realized that many of their customers were not ready, they pushed the date back.
3G Sunset Date: Manage Cellular Network Shutdowns
As of this writing, this is what we know about the 3G sunset dates from the four major carriers in the US:
- Verizon: Planning to shut down 3G service at the end of 2020
- AT&T: 3G sunset scheduled for early 2022
- Sprint: No date for 3G sunset
- T-Mobile: No date for 3G sunset
We already have 3G shutoff dates announced from two of the major services providers and the other two are expected to discontinue support for 3G in the near future. As a hint that they all have plans to move away from 3G, most of them already do not accept new activations for 3G devices.
How will 3G Sunset Affect Your Alarm System?
Many alarm systems communicate over wireless networks. If you are using an older system that communicates over a 3G wireless communicator, your protection system will experience connectivity issues when your service provider shuts down their 3G network.
If your alarm system already has LTE, this won’t be a problem. However, if your safety system uses 3G communications, it won’t be able to send signals to the safety monitoring center over a wireless network. This should be a significant concern for anyone that depends on one of these older systems.
Even if you have a system that uses multi-path communication, losing your wireless service will be a problem. Of course, your alarm system will still be able to communicate over a landline or through the internet if it supports those options, but your alarms will still be vulnerable without wireless support. If the landline goes down or if the power goes out, it won’t have the cellular communicator as a backup. As a result, it won’t be able to send signals to the monitoring station.
If your alarm system uses 3G communications, you should start planning for the transition today. For most consumers, that will require some type of upgrade to their home or business alarm system. In some cases, you might be able to keep your old alarm system intact and just upgrade the wireless communicator from a 3G model to one that works on LTE. For other customers, it might require a new alarm panel.
Contact Cornerstone Protection to Transition from 3G to LTE
Cornerstone Protection already has plans to help Kentucky homes and businesses as they prepare for 3G sunset. We can help you find out if you need to make an upgrade and if you do, our team can make the necessary changes to help you make sure your alarm system keeps providing the protection you need. We have safety experts standing by to offer a free consultation concerning the end of 3G and other alarm issues. Call us today to learn more.
