The advancement of technology often means the removal and replacement of systems we’ve relied on over the past years. As communication is continually improving, this results in new devices, new ways to connect and an increasing demand, which has pushed us forward through many generations (or “G’s”) of mobile telecommunication.
We’ve seen the rise and fall of 1G, 2G, 2.5G and more. With AT&T and Verizon shutting down its third-generation (3G) cellular network sporadically with a cease to exist by 2022, this may affect your security system communication.
As we plan for the 3G sunset, read on to learn how this may change your security system.
What Is 3G? Why Does the Sunset Affect Me?
3G is the third generation of cellular technology and standards that have been used in wireless communication devices for years. While modern phones have made the switch to 4G or 4G LTE, equipment like home security systems didn’t need to make the switch to stay fully functional. Our security alarms, like most other security companies, utilized both 3G and 4G technology to keep your system connected and ready no matter what!
With the sunset of 3G ahead, our equipment using this technology will need an upgrade to continue to communicate with our monitoring center. To make sure our customers impacted make the upgrade, we are proactively reaching out. If it does affect you, an upgrade from our technicians only takes 30 minutes to an hour. Habitec will make sure your alarm system communication goes uninterrupted. The cellular communicator installed on your security system will need to be replaced with an LTE communicator.
What Are the Additional Benefits to This Upgrade?
The other benefits of the LTE communicator include: faster communication, better frequencies to penetrate walls and buildings, longer life of LTE networks and improved, real-time connectivity to Apps used to control your system
How Will 3G Be Sunset?
Sunsetting 3G is a major process for all the companies involved. The primary step for this is replacing the existing 3G and 4G towers with modern 5G towers. While you may have heard about 5G towers going up across the country, these haven’t replaced the older technology – they were in preparation for cutting-edge devices that are already using 5G!
When the towers go down, service for 3G in the areas will be affected. Ultimately, our goal, is to make sure to minimize interruption of services. The easiest way to do this is to stay ahead of the curve by scheduling a time with our technicians to upgrade your devices if you’ll be affected.
Where Will This Apply?
The 3G replacement rollout is a nationwide effort by major communications companies. Like 2G and 1G before it, 3G will eventually be phased out completely. Over time, devices which rely on this outdated technology will cease to function properly no matter where you are in the country, and eventually, the world.
When Does the 3G Sunset Start?
The telecommunication companies leading the charge in 3G sunsetting have indicated their plans to start shutting down 3G towers as early as this year! The process won’t be quick, but we could start seeing issues with 3G devices as early as the end of 2021. Different communication service providers have different timelines and processes, so it won’t be consistent depending on which provider you look at.
Will I Need to Upgrade Again?
Predicting the path of technology is impossible. It’s possible that many years down the road, another sunsetting may happen for outdated technology as new developments come into play. At Habitec Security, our number one priority is ensuring you have the best security system for you. If new developments don’t help keep you safe, we may not need to make another upgrade like this for quite a while. We always keep our eye on the horizon to keep you aware of these shifting technologies as soon as we can!
What are my next steps?
If you want to clarify to see if this pertains to your system, please contact us to learn more.
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