Jim Audiomisc
pfm Member
I currently have an old Nokia 3310 mobile phone. Note that for me this is ideal as things stand. Its a *phone*. I use it only for a 999 or to call a taxi if we are out and my better half needs to get home and safe. Unlike many modern 'devices' it has real buttons and is small. Almost all of the time it is switched off.
The snag is that it is 2G/3G and these are both asserted to become 'discontinued' some time between now and 2033. However beyond that, determining when my phone might cease getting a connection becomes murky...
Look on the web and you get various 'answers' - which often conflict. Also depends on which service provider you use.
According to 'Which' my provider hasn't yet said when they may cease using 2G. So it could be 2033. Or any other time before that!
Complications are:
1) Internet of Things devices also often use 2G/3G. Are the networks going to brick those as well? if so, do the users of them know when?
2) Having 2G links operating is a different matter to what uses/protocols are kept going.
3) I decided to buy a new cheap mobile phone. Again as a *phone* with real buttons, small, etc. However when I read the bumf this is *also* 2G/3G, NOT any of the later gens. No mention of this in the adverts, etc. Just in tiny text at the back of the brief sheet of bumf that came with it. So it seems people are *still* being sold NEW 2G/3G phones!
Shambles wrapped in a riddle. Discuss. I can't help feeing that brown stuff is approaching a rotating object at the moment. But no idea when they will converge.
The snag is that it is 2G/3G and these are both asserted to become 'discontinued' some time between now and 2033. However beyond that, determining when my phone might cease getting a connection becomes murky...
Look on the web and you get various 'answers' - which often conflict. Also depends on which service provider you use.
According to 'Which' my provider hasn't yet said when they may cease using 2G. So it could be 2033. Or any other time before that!
Complications are:
1) Internet of Things devices also often use 2G/3G. Are the networks going to brick those as well? if so, do the users of them know when?
2) Having 2G links operating is a different matter to what uses/protocols are kept going.
3) I decided to buy a new cheap mobile phone. Again as a *phone* with real buttons, small, etc. However when I read the bumf this is *also* 2G/3G, NOT any of the later gens. No mention of this in the adverts, etc. Just in tiny text at the back of the brief sheet of bumf that came with it. So it seems people are *still* being sold NEW 2G/3G phones!
Shambles wrapped in a riddle. Discuss. I can't help feeing that brown stuff is approaching a rotating object at the moment. But no idea when they will converge.
