In a recent email, AT&T told some of its customers their phones soon won’t be supported by new network technology. The email urges customers to buy a new phone to ensure they’ll still be able to make voice calls.
Under the big, blue, bold, all-caps heading “UPDATE NEEDED,” the carrier is telling some customers that their devices are “not compatible with the new network” and that they “need to replace it to continue receiving service.”
Here’s the email:
The email does link to an AT&T support article that mentions the company plans to scrap its 3G network in February 2022. “Once we do, 3G devices and 4G wireless devices that don’t support HD Voice will no longer work on our network,” the page says. However, the urgent tone of the email doesn’t make it clear to customers that they have well over a year to purchase a new phone.
Customers with newer phones, which should theoretically support HD Voice, are getting the email, too. The person who started that thread on AT&T’s support forum said they use 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 out 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.
It’s unclear exactly how many customers may have gotten this email. Hopefully AT&T provides clearer communication about why and when customers will actually need to upgrade
