The end of 3G networks is a problem for millions of car owners

Millions of vehicles in the U.S., including Teslas, Audis, Hondas and Nissans, will lose some emergency and convenience features by Tuesday, as AT&T becomes the first telecommunications company to disable its 3G network this year.

The shutdowns – known as network sunsets – affect older cell phones but also other products such as home security systems and vehicles that use 3G networks for updates and remote communication.

The impact for vehicle owners will vary based on their car or truck, millions of which were made during the past decade or so with 3G connectivity. Some owners may not experience any problems, while others could lose automatic emergency response services in the event of a crash and certain infotainment and convenience features such as real-time navigation and pre-cabin conditioning.

“This is crazy times, when you think about it. 3G did not come out that long ago and the first sunset is already happening,” said Kenny Hawk, CEO of Mojio, a mobility services company that is partnering with Volkswagen and Audi to maintain emergency services. “You’ve got a lot of vehicles out there … that had 3G embedded telematics control units, modems and antennas that will only work on 3G networks.”

AT&T is the first major provider to wind down its 3G services, which will be discontinued Tuesday, followed by T-Mobile and Verizon later this year. Other smaller carriers that rely on those networks such as Cricket, Boost and Straight Talk also will be impacted.

The telecommunications companies are conducting the 3G sunsets to free up infrastructure and capital to support newer ones, such as emerging 5G services.

“Since February of 2019, we have worked with automotive manufacturers to help them transition their connected cars to newer technology before 3G services end February 22. Customers have received, and will receive additional, communications as we work with them on this transition, including direct mail, bill messages, emails and text messages,” AT&T said in an emailed statement Monday.

Even though cellular providers have been warning that their networks will shut down permanently for some time, many automakers still relied on 3G connectivity until as recently as the 2021 model year.

William Wallace, Consumer Report’s manager of safety policy, described the situation as “a slow motion disaster,” as automakers are either doing nothing or scrambling to maintain services for owners.

“We’re talking about millions of vehicles that will lose features that were promised to owners, and that no longer will be delivered,” he said. “In some cases, those features are safety features, things that can help them from dying or getting seriously injured after a crash.”

Consumer Reports has a large list of impacted…