Are you affected by the 3G Sunset?
Published on Thursday, January 14, 2021
With the introduction of 5G technology in 2019 and 2020, wireless carriers have started the process to discontinue or "sunset" 3G wireless communications by 2022. Alarm systems that communicate via cellular networks are more than likely still using 3g technology to transmit signals. As cellular service providers begin to shut down their 3G networks, systems that use this technology could experience significant issues.
What is the 3G Sunset?
With new technologies like 5G growing and becoming more accessible, manufacturers and cell service providers are moving away from legacy 3G technology to LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication. As this occurs, service providers will discontinue support for devices that operate on the 3G networks. The sunset dates begin in early 2022, depending on the carrier.
How does the 3G sunset affect your alarm system?
Most older systems that use cellular networks are using 3G to communicate with the monitoring center. When wireless carriers discontinue these services, your alarm system will no longer communicate to the monitoring center. However, if your system utilizes LTE signaling, you should not experience any issues.
Even if your system offers dual-path communications, losing one of your communication paths is a critical issue. Yes, your system may communicate via a phone line or the internet. However, you still leave yourself vulnerable if one of those systems fails. If your landline goes down or you lose power, your system will no longer transmit signals.
Source: VerizonConnect.com
What Should I Do?
Our team at AlarmSouth is prepared for the 3G Sunset, and we have several options to upgrade your system. Whether it be a complete system upgrade offering the latest technology or options to potentially upgrade your existing system to transmit on newer signal paths