4G S8 to be disconnected with 3G shutdown - here is what you can do

That phone is not on the compatible list.  The U one is.  I don't know the differences between these models other than ATT doesn't it.

@jb011 

Parts of ATT customer service is saying some of these unlocked phones that aren't on the whitelist will work with just a new SIM card.  This is very likely not true, but I don't want to for sure say I know better than they do, so you could try going to an ATT store and getting an updated SIM card.  I have not tried my new SIM card in my unlocked S8 yet.

So it's true, who has Samsung Galaxy S8+ SM-G955U1 definitely will not work and need to buy another phone?

I guess I found your excellent topic a week too late.  AT&T terminated the service on my $300 S8 on March 1.  ATT phone rep, chat person, and store reps insist my phone is not 4G compatible, even though the box says it is.  I received an ATT V340U valued at $40 to REPLACE it, referred to as starter phone.  Low memory, poorer camera, only 2g wifi, on and on.  Criminal is the word for it Lily.  And no the Sansung S22 you are promoting isn't free.

I guess I found this excellent forum a week too late.  Unannounced ATT shut down my $300 S8 on March 1.  Online voice and chat reps, as well as store reps insist the phone is 3G.  In the process, ATT sent me an ATT V340U "starter" phone valued at $40.  The phone is low memory, 2G wifi, poor camera.  In general a poor substitute.  ATT, if you are reading this, I am not done with this until you restore my S8 service or provide me with a suitable replacement.  How about one of those free S22s?

There has been a lot of sloppiness in terms.  LTE phones that didn't support VoLTE ON ATT have been dropped.  Just because it supports LTE for data doesn't mean it is certified for VoLTE.  Did the phone say, ON THE BOX, that it supported VoLTE on ATT?  

I doubt all these people are saying the phone is 3G.  They are probably telling you that it uses 3G for voice, and is therefore not compatible.

The only S8 variants that should continue to work on ATT are these:

Galaxy S8 (G950U*) • Galaxy S8 Active (G892A) • Galaxy S8+ (G955U*)

And even then 2 of them need software updates.

The problem is they never advertised that, as has been said many times in this thread.  Had their ads and pamphlets said "we are shutting down our 3G networks and requiring HDVoice support..." customers could have looked into it.  As it was, I and many others on here, just said "Oh, I have a 4G phone, I am fine"  because what else could we have reasonably done with the information available?

And yes, customer service reps are absolutely saying these phones are 3G.  Or they are just saying it will work with a new SIM card as I documented above (when they see the branded phone in the whitelist).

CRs have said lots of things.  Many people have reported being told.  Or understood what they are being told.  That they needed 5G phones to continue.  

Decisions ATT made in the past has come home to roost.  Calling improved 3g technologies 4G, and having that show up on their phone.  Then coming out now and telling people that due to the 3G shutdown their phones no longer work.  Well, their phones had been telling the they were 4G.

Last year or so, calling improved LTE 5Ge.  That can't possibly come back to haunt ATT at some point, can it?

Tell people that they need phones that use LTE for voice, and stay on LTE when using voice would have been a better word to get out.  People could have checked that for themselves.

So.......I 100% agree that ATT handled this poorly.
So poorly, in fact, that my family left them, and our heavy discounts, after 20+ years.
1 S8 in the household (unlocked and not ATT branded) and this issue, and the experience with support around it, was the catalyst.

Result:  Tmobile got 3 new lines from us, and we moved to their unlimited (was on ATT 12gb plan). Going to pay a little less monthly as their military discount is pretty big. 3 new phones.  And, son actually has reception in college dorm whereas ATT failed on that (we would call or talk with him and it would drop all the time, even if neither party were moving....and even texts didn't get to him until he left his dorm).

First week on tmobile now and, so far, everything pretty good and I talked to him, in his dorm, last night.

ATT is hurting themselves and those of us that are stockholders, by being stupid in their actions.

I have read through this entire forum topic (as well as some of the others) and it has been very helpful to me in understanding my current situation.    I am going to add my own story here for what it might be worth and possibly help others decide what they will do.   

I purchased a Samsung Galaxy 8 Note last June (2021) via Amazon.   I wanted to upgrade from my Galaxy 5 to the same phone as my husband.  He had purchased his Galaxy 8 Note the previous year (also from Amazon).    I have looked back at the order details for my purchase and it was listed as 4G compatible, as was my husband's.   I absolutely love the Galaxy Note 8 and use it for many purposes.  

Last week,  I was out on errands and at some point had trouble with my car not starting,  so I tried to call my husband.  I repeatedly got a "Call Ended" message and the call would not go out.   The Wifi and and SMS were working,  so I also sent a text (although knowing he probably wouldn't read it).   I even watched a few YouTubes on how to fix the "Call Ended" problem - to no avail.   Finally,  I had to go find another way to call for help.   It was not a good day.

Once home,  I was able to start researching the issue is greater depth on the Internet.  For one thing I thought there must be something wrong with our account,  but that was not the case.   My husband's Note 8 was working fine.   Eventually,  I found a site with recent postings which indicated that a Galaxy Note 8 with model number SM-N95OU1 would not work on ATT's 4G network,  whereas a model SM-N95OU would).   After following this lead to various forums and finally to this one,  this seems to be the issue for me.    Indeed,  my husband's Note 8 has a model number of N95OU and mine has the N95OU1.   I never thought to check our model numbers when I purchased my Note 8 last summer.    So,  his will work on ATT's 4G and mine will not.

I don't recall getting any notification regarding my phone from ATT in the lead up to February 2022,  but I might not have noticed.   I knew that the 3G networks were being phased out,  but did not think that it would affect me - because I thought that I had a 4G compatible phone.    Which I guess I do if I go with another carrier - I just have to make sure that my specific model will be recognized.    

I've taken a timeout since last week to learn more about this issue and to reflect on what might be best for me to do.   I like my phone and have had it less than a year.   I am also a developer so I have configured it the way that I want and have some specific apps on it.   For me,  the best option seems to be to unbundle my cell phone service from my husband's and go with another carrier.   I am currently looking at alternative services,   from mainstream ones like Verizon or new ones like Net10.    I just need to proceed with care so that I don't end up in the same boat as I am now. 

In any case,  it is a disappointing situation.   ATT has been our cell service provider since we first got cell phones years ago,   but things change and it is what it is.   

So that is my story and I hope that it will be helpful to others who are faced with the same problem and not sure what to do.