
Ask HN: What's going to happen to 3G infrastructure as it gets phased out? - akjetma
I wanted try going back to using an old 3G &#x27;dumb phone&#x27; for awhile and in the process I learned that Verizon is going to stop allowing activation of 3G phones on 12&#x2F;31&#x2F;2019 and will be &#x27;turning off&#x27; their 3G network on 12&#x2F;31&#x2F;2020.<p>I was wondering, what happens to all the old, incompatible infrastructure when a new mobile generation gets rolled out? Do the telecoms lease access to the old equipment? Sell the network wholesale, in-place? Do they liquidate all the equipment to make room for new antennas and equipment? What happens to the unused spectrum once all the providers are phased out?<p>P.S.
I&#x27;m bummed out by the lack of <i>truly</i> dumb phones that&#x27;ll work on 4G (at least, on Verizon&#x27;s 4G network in the US). The dumbest phones I can find all seem to be android-based. I&#x27;m tired of carrying around such a powerful device and wish I could just have access to sms and non-ip-based telephony without it just being a pared down launcher for a general purpose operating system.
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wmf
The spectrum for old networks gets "refarmed" onto the newer networks and this
usually happens incrementally before the shutdown.

