If AT&T sent you an email telling you to update your phone, if not – Would you write it as a scam? Well, that’s what the company did this week, according to Android Police.
Under the heading big, blue, bold and capital “UPDATE NECESSARY“ the operator tells some customers that their devices “are not compatible with the new network” and that “they need to replace it to continue receiving service.”
Here is the email:
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Image: Android Police
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Image: Android Police
One obvious problem: The company sent this amid a pandemic of economic destruction, at a time when buying a new phone might be the last thing on its mind. However, some customers were so shocked to receive the email that they posted on the AT&T support forums speculating that it might be a scam. Android Police says the email is legitimate.
Another problem: Frightened customers may not need to do anything until February 2022.
How Android Police points out, what AT&T really seems to be doing here is recommending updates before AT&T’s 3G network closes. It is slated to happen “by February 2022,” according to an AT&T link reportedly appearing in the email. When the 3G network goes down, AT&T says phones that don’t support HD Voice, which routes calls through 4G LTE, won’t be able to make voice calls or use data on AT&T.
Strangely, customers with newer phones, which in theory should be HD Voice compatible, also receive the email. The person who started that thread on the AT&T support forum said that he uses a Galaxy S10 E, a phone that was released in March 2019.
If it’s true that these phones won’t stop working until 2022, sending an email like this isn’t exactly the best look for AT&T; It could be seen as an attempt to boost sales during a pandemic, and there will certainly be a wave of newer and better phones available (including more with 5G support) before the deadline passes.
It is unclear exactly how many customers may have received this email, and AT&T has not responded to a request for comment. But hopefully AT&T will provide clearer communication on why and when customers will really need to upgrade.
