Contributor
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3 Messages
3G shutdown
Hi, so regarding the 3G shutdown happening later this year, I have a 5s that I keep for backup. If, lets say, my XR breaks for whatever reason and I pop the sim into the 5s, will it work? I understand that my 5s does not have VoLTE capabilities, but will at least the LTE part work? I'm fine with using things like messenger, facetime etc.
GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.8K Messages
4 years ago
Nope once they turn off 3g in 2022 that phone will be a brick. It's done by IMEI nimber
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santaklaus0110
Tutor
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10 Messages
4 years ago
AT&T has already shut down its GPRS/EDGE 2G service to move it to LTE-A coverage, and slowly they are shutting down their B2/B5 UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+ 3G coverage to move it to LTE-A coverage. If your device cannot make calls over LTE (you can check by calling someone, it will only allow you to surf the web with HSPA+ or 4G symbol on iphone, H+ on android) then it will become a brick as a phone and just a data device, due to there being no 3G service for phone calls.
Regarding what @GLIMMERMAN76 has stated; AT&T does not do a good job keeping track of IMEI numbers and only if you go into store or talk online will it change the IMEI number to your current device (I have had this experience before multiple times, having been an AT&T customer since 2007 when they bought out Cingular, and because I have been buying phones unlocked direct from manufacturer for the past 5 years. If you have the iPhone XR registered as the primary phone after the 3G shutdown and it craps out, then popping in the SIM card to the iPhone 5S is ok, just won't be able to make or receive calls, since the IMEI is still connected to the iPhone XR and won't change until you contact them.
VoLTE is provisioned by IMEI number, correctly stated, but if the phone is uncapable of VoLTE on AT&T's network and your iPhone XR's IMEI is registered still as the primary phone and not updated, they will not shut off the iPhone 5S data access to the network because it thinks you are currently using the iPhone XR.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.8K Messages
4 years ago
Yes and NO.. ATT is getting better at doing IMEI sweeps.. They already know what device is connected. Popping a sim from a iPhone to a Android phone does not cause problems anymore as the system picks up the IMEI change. I do this a ton..
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nanjingk010
Tutor
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57 Messages
3 years ago
But how on earth can AT&T know the IMEI numbers of ALL the LTE mobile devices on earth to do this? For example, if one uses an LTE device by a non-mainstream foreign manufacturer who is not on the list of "will still work" (.PDF by AT&T; https://www.att.com/idpassets/images/support/wireless/Devices-Working-on-ATT-Network.pdf), then would AT&T just block it out of the network? That would be preposterously arrogant, just!
Even the "att.com/claimyourphone" link for prepaid upgrades (discounted price of three compatible devices) does not work well with constant errors that prevents the claims from been completed. Plus, there is no customer service support for this process - Prepaid claims as "promotion/rewards department" issue, whereas Rewards Center does not have Prepaid customer information.
Additionally, what about foreign travellers whose original countries does still support 3G (many) - would they have to buy an entire phone here or their phones have to connect to other carriers from then on?
The "3G Going Away" campaign by AT&T is simply not at all a proper way of streamlining technological standards, yet outrageously blunt and reckless manoeuvre, regardless of the reasonable needs for the ultimate goal.
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