Today, Verizon set a date for its intention to shut down its aging 3G network: December 31, 2022. This is not only the end of the hugely popular 3G system, but a watershed moment for Verizon, as its network has started. on CDMA technology when the company was first established in 2000. Greater reliance on the GSM-based LTE network, and ultimately pushing more customers towards 5G, has allowed the company to wean itself off the obsolete standard.

Verizon originally planned to end 3G operations at the end of 2019, but extended it to 2020 and beyond in order to shift as many of its customers as possible off of old smartphones and network hardware. It has not allowed certification or connection of new 3G-only devices since 2016 in preparation. According to industry analyst OpenSignal, Verizon’s 4G network covers 97.7% of its total coverage area as of January 2021, so it’s possible that some of Verizon’s more rural customers will lose service after the transition.

Verizon says it encourages 3G customers only to transition now, and that those who don’t may experience “degradation or complete loss of service” even before the deadline.