Why You Need to Upgrade 3G/4G Technology | North Florida Alarm Systems

Verizon and AT&T recently announced the news of a nation-wide network shutdown. Verizon and AT&T are in the process of transi­tioning from 3G/4G service networks to LTE which offers superior coverage and performance. 

Although better connec­tivity and faster service is in our future, all devices that currently commu­nicate via 3G/4G networks (older cell phones, power gauges and security systems), will no longer be supported after 2021. Some carriers like Verizon are choosing to upgrade to LTE and 5G sooner than expected as mainte­nance and repairs are needed for current service towers.

Though techno­logical advances are inescapable, this transition impacts thousands security systems across the United States, regardless of the provider. All systems that currently use 3G/4G networks to send alarm signals to monitoring centers will need to be upgraded to operate properly.

3G/4G Sunset is Coming! What is it?

Carriers such as AT&T and Verizon have announced the shutdown of their third and fourth-gener­ation (3G and 4G) cellular networks. This shutdown will not occur all at once, in fact, it will occur sporad­i­cally across the country and ultimately cease to exist throughout 2020.

Why are network providers shutting down their 3G/4G cellular network?

Today, smart­phone technology is requiring more bandwidth and increased data. Cellular companies no longer want to maintain networks that are not being utilized which includes 3G and 4G towers. With the shutdown of 3G/4G cellular networks, LTE and 5G networks can use that space to drasti­cally increase data capacity and speed on the newer networks.

How does the shutdown affect your system?

Before the LTE network, most alarm systems were installed with a 3G/4G cellular device and can only commu­nicate via the 3G/4G cellular networks. When the 3G/4G networks cease to exist, these security and fire alarm systems will no longer be able to commu­nicate alarm signals to our monitoring center.

If you are unsure about your system’s function­ality, contact your local security provider for more information. 

If you are a Bates Security customer, no worries, we have your protection covered! Simply call us to schedule your service visit.