Your AT&T phone won’t stop making calls anytime soon

AT&T customers have been receiving a disturbing email or text message from the operator that their phones are on the verge of no longer being compatible, and that has caused a lot of protest. The problem, says AT&T, is that it plans to shut down its 3G network, which means that all calls will have to be made through VoLTE (also known as HD Voice. And because only true phones work with AT&T VoLTE system, all other unapproved phones will no longer be able to make calls when power off occurs.

But there’s no need to worry – this AT&T warning is incredibly premature, and its calling service will remain until at least the end of 2021. This is what is really happening.

VoLTE: how to use it and why you should care

Why (and when) is AT&T moving from 3G calls to VoLTE?

Simply put, AT&T is trying to make the most of its spectrum (how many lanes it has available for traffic). Each operator has a limited amount of spectrum on which to implement 3G, 4G and 5G services, and keep any amount blocked to provide 3G to users when could Being better used for 4G and 5G is an inefficient use of resources. So AT&T plans to close its 3G network in early 2022, which will require all calls moving to 4G.

Now this is not a new idea. Verizon and T-Mobile have already made similar changes from 3G to a fully LTE calling network, so they can reuse precious spectrum reservations to deploy their new 5G networks. This is completely normal, but it’s a big change, and that’s why AT&T is getting this far before the actual shutdown with its messages.

Does my phone support AT&T VoLTE?

Here’s the problem: It is unclear exactly which devices are compatible with AT&T HD Voice service. The only sure way to know that your phone supports VoLTE at AT&T is to buy an AT&T phone (or have purchased one in recent years). That’s annoying, because we know there are great benefits to buying unlocked phones, and AT&T brand phones are often full of bloatware and other customizations.

There is no sure way to know if your unlocked phone will be compatible with AT&T VoLTE.

AT&T publishes a list of “phones that work on our network,” with specific model numbers of devices that it has certified for use, but it’s not really clear if that also means that each of those devices supports HD Voice. (For example, the 2013 Galaxy S4 Mini is on the list.)

The unlocked phone situation is annoying because some unlocked phones do supports AT&T VoLTE, although AT&T does not say they do. Other unlocked phones are known to have all the right technology to use VoLTE (i.e. they are unlocked models of the exact phone AT&T sells), but AT&T does not allow them to do so. You can find hundreds of discussion pages on the forum about which unlocked phones support and don’t support VoLTE at AT&T, with little consensus.

If you have an unlocked phone at AT&T and are curious to see if it supports HD Voice, you can get more information using a network info app, like this, this, or this. Install the app, disconnect from Wi-Fi, make a call, and while on the call, check to see if the app shows that it is done via LTE. This does not guarantee that your phone is / is not compatible, but it is a good start. Also you can call AT&T customer service and ask if your phone is equipped with HD Voice; Lower-level customer service help may not know, but you may be lucky.

Do I need to update my AT&T phone now?

No, you do not.

AT&T knows how many phones are on its network that still make 3G calls, and that’s probably a very Big number. Therefore, he wants to start pressuring people to upgrade to a VoLTE-compatible phone now, rather than waiting until the last minute with the near 3G shutdown. Therefore, the very premature messages about phone incompatibility. But the truth is, your phone will still work and make calls until the last moment, so there is no need to update your phone today.

Now obviously if you do Update your phone today, and buy it from AT&T, it will be VoLTE compatible and ready for the future transition away from 3G (although it is still a long way away). In the meantime, you can also take advantage of VoLTE, which provides higher quality voice calls.

Realistically, this is a problem for you to think about a year from now, in the second half of 2021, when the 3G shutdown is really imminent. Your phone will continue to work well until then.

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