AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile. 3G networks supported down - load speeds of 6Mbps. Apple released the iPhone 3G in 2008, selling over one million units the weekend the phone was released. Verizon launched its 4G LTE network on December 5, 2010. It was the world’s first large-scale 4G LTE network covering 38 major metro - politan areas. 4G is much faster than 3G, allowing people to download games or stream TV shows without buffering and lags. Apple iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy are dominant 4G market players. Because smartphones are so prevalent, and more people use the 4G network, the network is reaching capacity. 5G rolled out in April 2019 in the US. At the end of 2020, there were 15.8 million 5G users in the US. This number is expected to increase to 41.3 million users in 2021. On a global level, by the end of 2022, 5G subscribers are expected to reach 1.3 billion. Transitioning to 4G Now is the time to transition to 4G if you haven’t already. The ques - tions you need to ask your telematics and network provider include: • What hardware do I need to replace, and when? Do I need to replace any software, and if so, what? • What are the costs? • What is the timeline for the upgrade? • Do I need to schedule an appointment with my telematics vendor and network provider? • What impact will this transition have on my business? • To replace telematics devices, does my vendor need access to each vehicle? • Where do I begin? HCSS 4G Telematics & Your Fleet With HCSS Telematics, data is collected from a vehicle like GPS information, total run time, speeding, harsh braking and turning, and other diagnostics, giving fleet managers visibility into their operations. HCSS 4G Telematics devices create precise geofences to easily track entry and exit times. The devices also help protect drivers with vehicle health and driver performance information. HCSS Telematics is a powerful tool, but the real magic happens when it integrates with other HCSS products, allowing companies to run their entire business from shop to dispatch to job and fuel management with no data entry time. Field mechanics can pair HCSS Telematics with HCSS Equipment360 to easily view meter events that drive the preventative maintenance schedule in real-time.
• Sprint 2G/3G CDMA network shutdown date: April 1, 2022 (formerly January 1, 2022) • Sprint 4G LTE network sunset date: June 30, 2022 • T-Mobile 3G network shutdown date: April 1, 2022 (formerly October 1, 2021) • T-Mobile 2G network shutdown date: January 1, 2023 According to Transport Dive, an estimated 10 to 20 percent of fleets operating on 3G devices still need to transition to 4G before the 3G sunset, or their business will get left behind. The transition has skyrock- eted the demand for 4G LTE Telematics devices. Due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, global demand for critical components has exceeded the available sup- ply—meaning some companies may have to wait to transition if they did not get their order in on time. Many cellular providers will no longer accept new 3G subscriptions and won’t reactivate legacy devices once their subscription ends. Why is 3G Being Shuttered? The reason that 3G networks are being shuttered is to make room for new 5G networks. Transitioning to a more advanced network provides greater capabilities for consumers. New devices and networks are more reliable and secure, which is important for public safety and 9-1-1 technologies. The benefits of fleets that upgrade from 3G to 4G LTE include extended wireless network coverage, higher bandwidth and data speeds, and low latency. According to CTIA , “the promise of our 5G future depends in part on the wireless industry using their spectrum assets most effectively so consumers can experience the most robust speeds and capacity. To achieve increased efficiency from their limited spectrum assets, wireless providers “refarm” their spectrum or repurpose it from one generation of wireless technologies to newer, more efficient genera - tions of wireless. Today, that work is happening as providers transi- tion spectrum used for 2G and 3G networks to better serve consumers through much more powerful 4G and 5G networks—5G is expected to be 23x more spectrally efficient and up to 156,000x faster than 2G. In preparation for 5G, all nationwide providers have announced plans to sunset 2G and 3G networks by the end of 2022. The evolu - tion away from 2G and 3G is critical to bring even more 4G and 5G coverage—and faster speeds to power advanced applications—to more Americans.” History of the Cellular Networks The first commercial cellular network, the 1G network, was launched in Japan by NTT in 1979. It covered the city of Tokyo upon introduction, but five years later covered all of Japan. Ameri - tech introduced the first 1G network in the US in 1983. The down - load speed was 2.4 kbps. 2G networks were first introduced in the US in 1992. The network speed was increased to .2Mbps, and sound quality improved. Third-generation wireless technology (3G) rolled out in 2001, offering various services from music downloads to mobile GPS, facilitating the smartphone's dawn. There are four providers of 3G networks in the US:
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