The conclusion of 3G networks may pose significant challenges for seniors who depend on medical alert devices for their safety.

• The final date for AT&T to shut down its 3G network is February 22, which was previously announced in 2019.
• If not upgraded to a newer network, connected devices such as home alarms and medical alert equipment may stop functioning after a certain date.
• The pandemic has presented a perfect storm of challenges for meeting the deadline, and an industry group is urging a delay, according to medical alert providers.

With the increasing adoption of 5G wireless service among Americans, an older 3G network is set to shut down next week. This presents significant challenges for certain products that still rely on the older network, such as alarm systems and personal emergency response systems that many seniors use to live independently.

The final date for the 3G sunset is Feb. 22, which means that many devices that use the network to contact emergency services will lose internet connectivity. The company has stated that this shutdown is necessary to transition to newer networks.

Despite AT&T's announcement of the sunset date in 2019, the transition is taking place during a challenging period that is making it difficult for medical alert firms to upgrade.

The elderly customer base of the pandemic has been isolated more than ever, making them wary of accepting claims of free new devices due to frequent scams and robocalls, while supply chain disruptions have made it difficult to acquire new equipment.

The medical alert industry is urging the Federal Communications Commission for more time to prepare for upcoming challenges, but AT&T's deadline remains unchanged, which will affect a significant portion of the devices in use.

According to a survey by the Alarm Industry Communications Committee, approximately 2 million security, fire, and medical alert devices are still using 3G technology, which includes hundreds of thousands of people with personal emergency response devices.

Scams and supply chain disruptions challenge transition

The AICC requested the FCC to provide emergency relief by extending the 3G sunset date for AT&T in the May petition, stating that the failure to do so would result in "harmful, even deadly" consequences for millions of people whose alarm systems would be affected.

Several factors hindered alarm service providers from transitioning promptly, including a shortage of installers due to Covid-19 infection or caregiving responsibilities, resources being redirected to more pressing matters during the pandemic, challenges in recruiting and retaining workers, and supply chain disruptions, particularly the global chip shortage.

Daniel Oppenheim, a spokesperson for AICC, stated in an interview that despite AT&T providing three years' notice of the sunset, the pandemic disrupted the industry's transition plans.

Oppenheim, CEO of Affiliated Monitoring, stated that the pandemic took a year from us due to our inability to enter homes and businesses. Even when people were comfortable allowing us access, our employees and technicians were unable or unwilling to perform the necessary work.

Oppenheim stated that even when the virus's prevalence decreased, supply chain disruptions posed a new challenge with lead times of up to 52 weeks for certain equipment.

LifeStation's general manager, Matt Solomon, faced some of the challenges mentioned in the AICC petition.

"We faced supply challenges that made it uncertain if we would receive enough devices on time," he stated, citing the difficulties faced by manufacturers in the industry. "Although the auto industry also faced these challenges, the situation was different because people could potentially delay buying a new car if it was not available. However, we had a hard deadline to meet, which made it a life or death situation," he emphasized.

To guarantee that LifeStation's customers remained connected during the transition, Solomon increased inventory and diversified suppliers, spending millions of dollars on upgrades and customer service.

Outreach to customers presented its own challenges.

It's challenging to manage any population, but it's even more difficult with seniors because they may not understand the changes in technology," he stated. "Seniors are cautious and have been trained to be skeptical. They receive numerous calls from various people assuring them that everything is okay, and now we are contacting them to inform them that they need a new one.

To reassure wary customers, LifeStation provided multiple ways of contact and allowed customers to call them back using the number on their invoice.

Bryan Stapp, president of Medical Care Alert, stated that in order to reach people, various methods such as email, phone calls, letters, and postcards were used, excluding a smoke signal. He explained that the calls to seniors promoting a new free device would trigger suspicion among customers who had been previously warned about scams by companies including his own.

Although we were pleased that they recognized the scam attempts, it made our task more challenging to provide them with an upgrade. However, we managed to overcome the obstacle.

Stapp stated that only three of the thousands of 3G devices they planned to replace had not been upgraded a week before sunset. He added that the transition cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Since AT&T shut off 3G service in some markets before the final Feb. 22 deadline, Stapp said that the transition really needed to happen much sooner for certain markets.

Seniors and their families can now benefit from more advanced devices with enhanced features to monitor their location and safety.

Medical Care Alert expanded its device options by partnering with Verizon for some of its new equipment, according to Stapp. This move should enhance connectivity in areas with better Verizon coverage than AT&T.

Industry and government response

The FCC advised AT&T to create new roaming options to act as a bridge after the shutdown date for certain devices, which AT&T agreed to.

The FCC is currently monitoring the phase-out of 3G networks and is collaborating with stakeholders to establish safeguards that will enable legacy phones and IoT devices to smoothly transition to newer networks, including new roaming options to facilitate the transition process.

The agency has made available information on its website for consumers who may be affected.

The roaming option is largely infeasible for many devices, according to AICC's Oppenheim, who believes that a shutdown date pushback from AT&T is still hopeful.

Tom Kamber, executive director of Older Adults Technology Services, a nonprofit affiliated with AARP, stated that anything that can be done to save lives is appreciated, including the roaming option. If this is what they choose to do today, it may save some lives. However, people are still requesting that the implementation be delayed until the end of the year.

Our account teams have been working with our business customers to transition their 3G devices to newer technology since February 2019. We have sent numerous communications to assist them in their upgrade cycles.

The wireless industry, represented by CTIA, is ready for a seamless transition.

According to CTIA, 99% of Americans are covered by 4G networks.

The group stated that wireless providers have successfully transitioned customers from old to new generations and have been working with customers for more than two years, offering free phones and assistance to make the transition away from 3G easier. Customers with questions should contact their providers for more information and to discuss options.

Oppenheim stated that if it weren't for the pandemic, three years would have been sufficient for the transition, but he said AT&T would not account for those challenges. He also pointed out that the 3G sunset is a larger lift than the earlier 2G retirement due to the influx of connected devices that arrived during the 3G period. Kamber added that even the extra few months between now and December would help get more systems onto the newer networks in time for the network shutdown.

With the easing of pandemic restrictions, there is now an opportunity for people to have a technician in their homes or get vaccinated, according to Kamber. This year, it is hoped that everyone who needs to make the transition will be able to do so, and manufacturers will be able to clear the backlog of technology in the supply chain.

Kamber urged Americans to check their home devices and update them to a newer network if they were installed before a few years ago.

Kamber suggested viewing the opportunity as a chance to plan for the future generation.