3G ELD Sunsetting – What You Need to Know

Major wireless network carriers are starting a process referred to as 3G sunsetting, to make room for faster 4G connectivity.

So, what does this mean for fleets?

Vehicles still using 3G devices (including the Transflo T7 ELDs) will eventually need to be replaced with 4G models. Carriers and drivers should start planning for this migration over to 4G ELD devices in order to prevent disruption of signal and data transfer.

Please Note: not all wireless network providers will be phasing out 3G at the same time. Refer to the following updates and estimations:

• As of December 2020, Sprint may not shut their 3G network off until December 2022
• Verizon has their 3G sunset at “end of 2022” for commercial and government fleet customers.
• AT&T for now still says February 2022 for the 3G sunset, but may change that date to be more in line with other providers.

While Transflo predicts minimal to no disruption in signal anytime soon, we do recommend fleets begin looking into switching over to 4G devices based on the current forecast of sunsetting events.

Many providers are, however, reconfiguring part of their 3G network spectrum to add support for 4G/LTE and 5G, and some have already stopped registering new 3G devices on the network. 3G devices  that were never activated may not be able to activate once the sunsetting processes begin. We’ll provide additional updates on this as they’re announced.

Also noteworthy is the likelihood that wireless providers during and after their 3G sunsetting, will not issue replacements or activations for new or old 3G ELD devices.

IMPORTANT: Only the Transflo T7 ELDs will be affected by the 3G sunsetting (devices with serial numbers starting with “G7”). The Transflo T9 ELDs (AKA T-series ELDs) are equipped with 4G and will NOT be affected by the 3G sunsetting events.

This is an early reminder for all fleets to place this 3G/4G transition on your radars. There is no immediate need to switch as there is still plenty of time to prepare, but it’s certainly better to stay ahead of the game and start looking into obtaining 4G ELD devices sooner rather than later.

For more information on the 3G/4G transition and how to best prepare and equip your fleets, please click here or call your account manager.