Seniors and their families who rely on medical alert systems for safety and peace of mind will soon find themselves with neither. As cellular providers phase out 2G and 3G services over the next year or so many older cellular devices, especially medical alert systems, will stop functioning. Millions of Americans will be without coverage.
Medical alert systems rely on one of two ways to communicate with an emergency response center, either through a landline or cellular service. Medical alert systems with cellular service have grown in popularity over the last decade since they provide coverage in the home and on the go. To keep production costs low many medical alert companies use less expensive and outdated 2G and 3G sim cards in their products. These devices are about to quietly go obsolete during the 3G sunset.
This article will help answer some common questions about the 3G sunset and how you can protect yourself and your family. HandsFree Health, unlike traditional medical alert companies, uses only 4G LTE sim cards in all our devices, ensuring our customers do not have to worry about loss of coverage.
What is the 3G Sunset?
The 3G sunset refers to the transition that cellular carriers are making away from 2G and 3G service in favor of more efficient 4G networks. 2G and 3G service networks have been around for years and provide slower, less reliable coverage. Carriers are opting for 4G which provides efficiencies in distribution and better coverage. 4G LTE provides a much faster, more reliable connection allowing most networks to cover a vast majority of the USA population with very little disruption in service.
Will My Device Stop Working if it has 3G?
Yes, as carriers phase out the 2G and 3G spectrum, your 2G and 3G devices will no longer receive a signal and will fail to operate. Think of it like a radio station, today you can still tune in but once that station stops broadcasting there will be no music coming through your radio. This transition is very much the same for 3G to 4G. After the transition your device will still power on and look and feel operable to you but when a disaster strikes and you call for emergency service there will be no service to connect you and no one will answer.
Will All Carriers Sunset at the Same time?
No. But all will sunset, and virtually all will do so in early 2022. Some will sunset before others, but the difference will be months not years.
How do I know if my Medical Alert is using 3G?
Many medical alert systems do not disclose which cellular provider they use so it is hard to know when your device will be affected. If you are using a medical alert product that you have had for several years, it is very likely a 2G or 3G device. Additionally, if you recently purchased a medical alert device and it did not say 4G in the advertisement or on the box it is also very likely using 2G or 3G. Many lanyard and bracelet style medical alert buttons will be affected. Unfortunately, many medical alert companies still sell 2G and 3G devices as they are cheaper to produce.
What Can I Do to Stay Safe?
The best way to ensure your safety is to find a medical alert system that runs on 4G. Not all medical alert companies have a 4G option, in fact, many are still selling 3G devices despite the known sunset. HandsFree Health only uses the newest 4G LTE in all our devices, so none of our customers are in danger of losing coverage. If you feel your device may be out of date or you are in need of a new device our support team can pair you with the best 4G LTE device to meet your needs. You will also find that a lot has changed since you last shopped for a medical alert system. Our systems include free music, news, and weather forecasts. You can even ask health questions and get medication reminders, all at no extra charge.
As the 3G sunset rapidly approaches take the steps necessary to ensure your safety by upgrading to the most advanced medical alert system on the market with HandsFree Health. Special savings are available for customers coming from other companies affected by the 3G sunset. Click the shop button below and use Promo Code UPGRADE to save on a new 4G enabled device.