Verizon has begun cutting off 3G.
Posted by Frank Giordani on
Verizon has begun cutting off 3G.
As 4G smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices replace older 3G gadgets, Verizon is changing the makeup of its network to compensate.
In New York, Verizon has shut off 20 MHz of airwaves that were once allocated for 3G. The cell phone giant is now running 4G-LTE over that spectrum. Cleveland's network has also begun a similar transition.
However, if you have an older phone that doesn't support 4G, you don't have to worry.
In order to support customers with flip phones, feature phones and other 3G devices, Verizon will keep the 3G network running for at least a few more years.
"We continue to support our 3G customers and networks," said Paul Macchia, spokesman for Verizon Wireless.
The news isn't surprising: Verizon had previously announced that it would be repurposing the 3G spectrum for 4G. With more than three-quarters of Verizon's traffic now traveling over 4G networks, Verizon has been quickly maneuvering to build up its 4G capacity to avoid network congestion and slower speeds.