3G network shutdowns this year may affect your not-so-old car...

[1972coronet]

I plan on keeping my 2004 'P71' Crown Victoria until its wheels fall-off. 

Since it's a police-spec model, it lacks all of the techie garbage (power windows and driver's seat is about all) -- manual (analogue') climate controls ; actual key which inserts into the ignition and doors; no cruise control (I do like cruise control for longer trips). Even the odometre and trip-metre are analogue (digital odo came along for 2005 or 2006).

Nice, basic -- albeit, contemporary -- transportation. 

No 'Heß' ( "31-G" ) rubbish to contend with.  

[imarriedawitch]

This is painful.

[Ace-Garageguy]

16 minutes ago, imarriedawitch said:

This is painful.

Sorry for your pain.

My intent posting was simply to impart information, as I became aware of the 3G shutdown when one of my phone providers notified me I'd get a free 4G upgrade if I jumped through a buncha hoops and said my prayers.

Then, being the kind of fella who's interested in reality, I did a little research into what else was shutting down that connected through 3G networks, and thought I'd share what I found in the spirit of community...as a lot of people seem to be completely, blissfully unaware of the issue.

But anybody who has a problem understanding the meaning of my words or the referenced article...I have a thing about correcting misinterpretations of English when they occur in threads I've started.

And anybody who wants to make this into a flame war between the tech-dependent and the geezers...have at it...but it wasn't my intent.  

 

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[Tabbysdaddy]

I had to upgrade our phones before January because they weren't going to work. That was Sprint/T-Mobile.

[jaymcminn]

I'd be pretty upset if my late-model car lost some functionality due to 3G going away. It's not the sort of thing you'd ever think to look into. Fortunately my Miata was born when cell phones were bricks and my '13 Kia Soul, despite having all the bells and whistles, doesn't rely on cellular networks for nav or infotainment functions (updates via SD cards). 

[Matt Bacon]

I know things are different in the US, but how many cars actually have a 3G connection (in Europe that means their own SIM card and mobile subscription)? Handful of high-end BMWs, Mercs and Audis. Most work on a Bluetooth connection to the owner's phone or proper Apple Carplay/Android Auto integration. Either way, the phone has the connection, not the car, and whatever connectivity the phone has, the car has it too. And all of them are designed to make sure they work if there's no mobile network coverage -- which is why anyone who tells you an essential use case for 5G mobile  is autonomous vehicles is blowing smoke...

best,

M.

[peteski]

5 hours ago, Matt Bacon said:

which is why anyone who tells you an essential use case for 5G mobile  is autonomous vehicles is blowing smoke...

Well then what if a person renting or using a self-driving car does not have a mobile phone on them?  The car won't' work?   The 5G network connection is done from the car itself, so it can communicate with other cars and with the "mothership" controlling the traffic on the roads.

I just used this as a simple example. In reality even the current "manual" cars have their own cellular connection for things like emergency accident notification, remote start, alarm, or updating the GPS or car-computer's firmware.  In USA they do not have SIMM cards - I suspect that they just have some sort of contract with some or all cellular network providers for them to support the wireless automobile connectivity. The 5G network will be essential for many things in the future.  Hopefully some nuclear or solar-generated  EM pulse will not wipe out the network, or there will be total mayhem.

Edited March 7, 2022 by peteski

[Joe Handley]

I’m curious to see what will happen with my 200 as well as Dad’s van and my Sister’s Challenger, we all have a basic hard drive head unit with satellite radio in our cars and theirs have the hands free phone and they have remote start too.  Fortunately my car and Dad’s van are as basic as possible when it comes to these things (the only options on mine are 18” wheels and the same 3.6l V6 and 6speed auto as the van?) and my Sister’s car isn’t much better equipped……she has the speaker upgrade and the 5.7l Hemi!

[peteski]

8 hours ago, Joe Handley said:

I’m curious to see what will happen with my 200 as well as Dad’s van and my Sister’s Challenger, we all have a basic hard drive head unit with satellite radio in our cars and theirs have the hands free phone and they have remote start too.  ?) and my Sister’s car isn’t much better equipped……she has the speaker upgrade and the 5.7l Hemi!

My 2019 Kia Soul has no hard drive head unit. Just SiriusXM and AM/FM radio receiver. It has a USB port for connecting "thumb drives" with music files on them. Of course it is also BlueTooth equipped so I could pair my cell phone with the audio system to allow me for hands-free phone calls.  The car has no built-in cellular connectivity.

Some distinction needs to be made for the car you describe.  If by "satelite radio" you mean SiriusXM, then that is not a cellular service.  Hands-free phone connectivity is BlueTooth based and all taking  place within the car's interior (not a cellular service built into the car).  As for remote starter, if that is controlled by a fob on the key ring, then it is just like a simple remote unlock or even keyless entry system. The fob is a low-power transmitter "talking" directly to your car - no cellular service is in play.  But if the remote starting is done using a smart-phone app, then the car is equipped with cellular service.

[Joe Handley]

3 hours ago, peteski said:

My 2019 Kia Soul has no hard drive head unit. Just SiriusXM and AM/FM radio receiver. It has a USB port for connecting "thumb drives" with music files on them. Of course it is also BlueTooth equipped so I could pair my cell phone with the audio system to allow me for hands-free phone calls.  The car has no built-in cellular connectivity.

Some distinction needs to be made for the car you describe.  If by "satelite radio" you mean SiriusXM, then that is not a cellular service.  Hands-free phone connectivity is BlueTooth based and all taking  place within the car's interior (not a cellular service built into the car).  As for remote starter, if that is controlled by a fob on the key ring, then it is just like a simple remote unlock or even keyless entry system. The fob is a low-power transmitter "talking" directly to your car - no cellular service is in play.  But if the remote starting is done using a smart-phone app, then the car is equipped with cellular service.

Yeah, we're all on SiriusXM and the remote starts that they have are through the key fobs too, we should be good then.

[Rob Hall]

Not sure if it will affect any of the UConnect features on my '14 Grand Cherokee... I have Sirius XM, Nav, remote start through the key fob, etc. that shouldn't be impacted.   Maybe the 911 button that may use cellular might be affected.   My sister's '15 Chevy Trax has OnStar, not sure if that will be affected. 

I know when I had older Cadillacs ('00 DTS, '06 STS) their OnStar service was expired.

 

[Joe Handley]

On 3/7/2022 at 10:09 AM, Rob Hall said:

Not sure if it will affect any of the UConnect features on my '14 Grand Cherokee... I have Sirius XM, Nav, remote start through the key fob, etc. that shouldn't be impacted.   Maybe the 911 button that may use cellular might be affected.   My sister's '15 Chevy Trax has OnStar, not sure if that will be affected. 

I know when I had older Cadillacs ('00 DTS, '06 STS) their OnStar service was expired.

 

Sounds like you might be in the same boat we are with ours, just old enough to not have to worry about it.