2G/3G Network Shutdowns
The cluster focuses on the ongoing phaseout of legacy 2G (GSM/GPRS) and 3G networks by carriers, reasons for delays such as spectrum reuse for LTE/4G, bandwidth efficiency, and challenges with older devices, GSM vs. CDMA interoperability, and global shutdown timelines.
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LTE is GSM based, so it isn't like they were able to keep it up at least, heh.
Why couldn't they do that with 4G
I think it has more to do with simulating 3g network (which is being decommissioned now)
Isn't this only the case for a CDMA network? Thought GSM didn't have this characteristic.
AFIAK 3g and 4g has this. the issue is that there are still legacy 2g and gprs networks so those protocols can't be disabled yet.
The phone companies don't want to support it, or more specifically, they want to reuse the 2G spectrum to build out their LTE network.
Interoperability with GSM-based networks is not a God-given right.
3G was deprecated by many networks too(hello, Verizon).
I think that's only the case for 2G (GSM, GPRS, EDGE). UMTS (3G) doesn't do that.
Newer standards like LTE are incredibly more bandwidth efficient. This means that any phone that's still using the old standards uses up the bandwith that multiple newer phones could use. As free bandwith is extremely rare, at least in urban areas, network operators are pushing towards new standards. This phenomenon is real. E.g. in Germany the provider Deutsche Telekom has put a clause into their TOS that allows them to turn off 3G from 2020 onward (idk about their US daughter company T-Mo