Bye bye 3G in the United States! It is today, Tuesday February 22, that the American operator AT&T disconnects its 3G network. T-Mobile will do the same from March 31 and Verizon will follow suit next year. By ending 3G, it becomes possible to reallocate its frequencies to other technologies, such as 5G.
Even if you have no plans to travel to the United States, you may already be aware of this change, as Orange recently notified customers via text message. Free Mobile and Bouygues Telecom have also posted explanations of the consequences of the end of 3G.
To be able to continue to make phone calls in the United States, operators indicate that you need a smartphone compatible with VoLTE, the technology that makes calls via the 4G network. “If your smartphone is only 2G/3G compatible, you will not be able to make/receive calls or SMS/MMS, or browse the Internet from the mobile network”specifies Free Mobile in case it is not clear.
And in France then, is the extinction of 3G networks on the program? “Frequency allocation is technologically neutral so operators are free to stop 2G or 3G if they wish. However, we will ensure that they meet their coverage commitments with quality of service and performance.”declared Anaël Bourrous, project manager at Arcep, to 01net.
The four French operators cover 99% of the population in 4G, but 3G, when it is not outright 2G, is still used by millions of professional devices: payment terminals, elevators, energy meters, distributors of tickets, cars equipped with the eCall alert system, etc.
To date, several extinction scenarios are possible, according to Arcep: “Stopping 3G offers the possibility of a fallback to 2G networks, the reverse is not true. Furthermore, 3G has the advantage of having better coverage, but more professionals depend on 2G. » Not to mention that the operators are not all in the same boat. Party after the others, Free Mobile does not have its own 2G network to manage (or almost none, the last entrant having recently had 360 2G sites authorized by the ANFR).
“The choice is not easy”confirms Michel Combot, the general manager of the French Federation of Telecoms, still with 01net. “We are studying this subject, but we are not carrying it collectively at the moment, because it is competitive. It is part of the commercial strategy of each operator and can help to differentiate themselves », he explains. One thing is certain, the total shutdown of 2G/3G in France is not for now.
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