AT&T: Delay in 3G sunset would ruin 5G rollout

AT&T responded to the alarm industry’s attempts to keep the 3G network up and running, essentially chalking it up to a delay tactic designed to line the pockets of alarm companies. While all three of the major US wireless operators are shutting down their 3G networks, the alarm industry is especially reliant on AT&T. That’s in part because AT&T offered aggressive pricing deals back when 3G networks were just getting started. Fast forward to 2021, and those alarm companies are in no hurry to switch to newer networks. In fact, they blame COVID-19 for their inability to get into customers’ homes to do necessary upgrades. AT&T said it is dedicated to serving customers during the network transition and has followed the same playbook it used when retiring the 2G network back in 2017. AT&T’s nationwide 5G coverage currently relies on low-band spectrum – specifically, the 850 MHz blocks that aren’t being used for 3G. In the future, the operator will rely mostly on mid-band spectrum and in particular the C-band assets that it acquired in Auction 107. However, the C-band spectrum isn’t yet available, and in the meantime, AT&T will be converting the 850 MHz spectrum, currently used for 3G, to 5G for both coverage and capacity.