Verizon to Shut Down 3G Network and Send 4G Flip Phones to Customers Who Haven't Upgraded

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 08 July 2022, 05:07 pm

Verizon, one of the biggest telecommunications companies in the United States, is planning to shut down its 3G network at the end of 2022.

Although most of its customers are now using phones powered by 4G or 5G technology, some still rely on older phones that are only capable of 3G signals, and they may be left in the dark by 2023.

Now, Verizon says it will start sending 4G-capable phones for free to those affected customers.

Verizon to Send 4G Flip Phones

According to CNET, the new phones are not like the usual gifts that telecommunications company uses to entice their customers to sign up for their plans, like iPhone 13 or Samsung Galaxy S22.

Instead, Verizon will send flip phones, including Nokia 2720 V Flip, TCL Flip Pro, and Orbic Journey V.

The move marks Verizon's latest effort to resolve outstanding issues before shutting down its aging 3G network.

The company first announced its plans to close its 3G network in 2016, at the time giving customers three years to upgrade.

Also Read: Verizon Starts Killing 3G Network, Repurposes it for 4G LTE Service

The company delayed the plans through the end of 2022, even though it has not allowed customers to activate phones that can only connect to 3G since 2018.

Several carriers are shutting down these older technologies in order to devote resources to the latest iterations of their respective wireless networks.

AT&T shut down its 3G network in February, while T-Mobile shut down the Sprint 3G network in March.

Sprint launched its 4G LTE network at the end of June. T-Mobile shut down its own older 3G service back on July 1.

Verizon stated that 99% of its customers are now using 4G or 5G networks, with less than 1% still accessing the 3G network, according to CNBC.

Several of those customers are from low-income households who can't afford to purchase a better phone or seniors who only need a phone for communication purposes.

Negative Phone Reviews

Unfortunately, Verizon's free 4G phones are not getting good reviews for its customers. On the company's own online store, the Nokia 2720 got the highest average at 2 out of 5 stars, according to The Verge.

The Nokia 2720 Fold does not provide stellar photos, and the flip, which Verizon is also handing out for free, does not even have a camera.

The flip phone does not have enough storage space too, which means that the contacts a user can save are very limited, and the messages they can keep on the phone are also limited.

Although it does not have any camera, it does allow users to store and listen to music, which is its main selling point. However, it is not strong enough to play music for hours.

The customer reactions on Verizon's webpage about the phones are not good either. Some customers have noted that the TCL Flip Pro does not even support group messaging, and the Orbic Journey V's battery is weak. The phone itself is hard to navigate, which can be very challenging for senior citizens.

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Written by Sophie Webster