3G's long gone, and 4G's days are numbered, but up until today, T-Mobile was still offering 2G cellular service.
    • Yaky@slrpnk.netEnglish
      10 hours

      Someone I know got screwed over when 3G shut down. Their business used an alarm system with a 3G modem (using a cheap data-only SIM card).

      The “updated” version requires subscriptions, an app, and goes through manufacturer’s servers, so more expensive, and several more points of failure.

      • CADmonkey@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3 hours

        I have an older EV that used 3G for app access and maybe other stuff I haven’t noticed. It still runs but I can’t do things like tell it to preheat/cool the cabin from my phone. Its not an issue for me personally, the car has a timer function, and I can just set it to cool down at x time.

        But its interesting seeing abandoned protocols.

      • perfectly_boiled_pizza@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3 hours

        eCall, alarm systems, elevators and many types of sensors.

        2G should die though. You can use the frequencies for 4G/5G to get better reception.

        And if the thing depending on 2G has the space for it (like a car or an elevator) then the thing can be upgraded with hardware that supports 4G/5G.

        …Unless the manufacturer is a dick and wants you to buy a whole new thing. I suspect that this will happen a lot.

      • paraphrand@lemmy.worldEnglish
        17 hours

        I think things like commercial and high end home automation. And security stuff. I might be mistaken tho.

        And it might sound like that’s old and out of date. But it stuck around cuz it was reliable.

        • errer@lemmy.worldEnglish
          16 hours

          I’d think this is a good thing then for that, less interference

          • paraphrand@lemmy.worldEnglish
            16 hours

            Yeah, for sure. But I think we both know how some technology manages to stick around surprisingly long.

            Even so, this is different. Spectrum use is a different animal from fax machines, COBOL and Windows CE.

  • solrize@lemmy.mlEnglish
    19 hours

    I had no idea that 2G worked til just now. Damn. I had to reluctantly mothball my 3G phone some years ago, but maybe there was a way to keep using it on 2G until now.

  • morto@piefed.socialEnglish
    19 hours

    Just when some people are getting interested in reviving old dumbphones

    • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zipEnglish
      11 hours

      I have a dumb phone that works on 4G and uses voiceover LTE for its calling, so you can still use a dumb phone.

      Just because the underlying network is 4G or 5G doesn’t mean you have to have a web browser and all the smartphone stuff.

      • morto@piefed.socialEnglish
        6 hours

        I have a dumb phone that works on 4G and uses voiceover LTE for its calling, so you can still use a dumb phone.

        Of course you can, but buying new isn’t the same as reviving the old ones

    • Humanius@lemmy.worldEnglish
      14 hours

      The dumbphones being released now should all work on modern networks. The connection being 4G / 5G doesn’t mean the phone must have an internet browser and an app store.