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44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
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42,491
Yup... some BMW owners were really ticked off by this. I get it that things get phased out, but some of the BMWs affected by this were as late as 2014 model year. I know on some models they are offering a new cell. module to make it work again.

But they shouldn't be upset. I think it really comes down to people struggling with change and/or not adapting to change. Because anybody that has understanding of technology and understand how it operates, understands that technology eventually has to be phased out of place in something that is more efficient and relevant. Not because dated technology isn't relevant, it's because it's not supported through software and/or compatibility with newer technology that ultimately starts with the developer.

Car Manufactures are like ants, they have to follow with what their provided. BMW or any other car manufacture can't regulate what software is provided to them from the developer.
 

iGeek2014

macrumors 68020
Jun 29, 2014
2,135
1,103
=== Nowheresville ===
I thought Europe was on top of this issue? When I lived in Wiesbaden (1998-2002) all I had was a nokia flip phone (snake anyone?) If I lived there now I guess I'd be really frustrated.

In the U.K. networks like o2 and Vodafone tend to fall back to GPRS/Edge where the network hasn't been upgraded (especially in rural parts).

Although 4G coverage is getting better I think it'll be another couple of years (at least) before we have our 2G networks turned off.
 

Lemansbc

macrumors newbie
Jan 18, 2017
1
0



AT&T yesterday announced that its 2G wireless network was officially shut down on January 1, 2017, following four years of planning for its discontinuation.

As The Verge points out, the end of the 2G network means the original first-generation iPhone (also known as the iPhone 2G) will no longer receive cellular service from the AT&T network, effectively shutting it down.

Few people appear to have been using the original iPhone as there were no complaints from iPhone owners two weeks ago when the network was shuttered, but going forward, customers who keep the device as part of a collection will only be able to use it on WiFi.

iphone.jpg

Originally released in June of 2007 and discontinued in 2008, the first iPhone was made obsolete by Apple back in 2013, and it has not received software updates since the 2009 release of iPhone OS 3, later renamed iOS 3.

While the end of the 2G network seems to have had little impact on iPhone owners, it did manage to cause significant issues for the San Francisco Muni bus and train system. NextMuni, used to predict arrival times of buses and trains, ran on AT&T's 2G network. Muni vehicles without upgraded systems installed don't show up on NextMuni, a problem that the San Francisco transit agency believes could take weeks to solve.

According to AT&T, shutting down its 2G network frees up valuable spectrum for future network technologies, including 5G. AT&T says the spectrum will be repurposed for LTE.

Article Link: AT&T Shuts Down 2G Network and Ends Cellular Connectivity for Original iPhone

It also shuts down the emergency roadside assistance service in all 2013 and earlier BMW. Wonder if other car manufacturers affected?
 

kdarling

macrumors P6
Any idea when the 3G network will be similarly shut down?

I think most carriers would love to shut down 3G. And they're already slowly stealing some of its resources for 4G usage.

But getting rid of 3G altogether is problematic because many standalone devices still use it, from remote ATMs to remote weather stations.

So all that would need to be upgraded first.
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,158
15,653
California
But they shouldn't be upset. I think it really comes down to people struggling with change and/or not adapting to change. Because anybody that has understanding of technology and understand how it operates, understands that technology eventually has to be phased out of place in something that is more efficient and relevant. Not because dated technology isn't relevant, it's because it's not supported through software and/or compatibility with newer technology that ultimately starts with the developer.

Car Manufactures are like ants, they have to follow with what their provided. BMW or any other car manufacture can't regulate what software is provided to them from the developer.

Understood, and I don't think BMW owners would have been as worked up over older models, but this affected models as new as model year 2014 (I think it was the X6).
 

manu chao

macrumors 604
Jul 30, 2003
7,219
3,031
Surprised to hear that a tiny country like Germany has such bad coverage. That is pretty inexcusable.
For the example of the Stuttgart main station, it is not a question of coverage but of bandwidth (too many people per tower). The main station is a hub for public transport and probably outside of special events (like a sports game) the area with the highest people density. Furthermore, the linked-to report also said this is limited to the 3rd biggest carrier (or before their merger to the 3rd & 4th biggest).

Large parts of central and southern Germany are also dominated by the so-called Mittelgebirge, various low-ish mountain ranges similar to the Appalachian Mountains. And 'tiny' is not the proper criteria here. What matters is population density (and how evenly that is spread) plus how rugged the terrain is. Montana is tiny compared the whole of the U.S., does this mean we should expect better coverage in Montana than in the U.S. in general?
 
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ryanwarsaw

macrumors 68030
Apr 7, 2007
2,746
2,441
For the example of the Stuttgart main station, it is not a question of coverage but of bandwidth (too many people per tower). The main station is a hub for public transport and probably outside of special events (like a sports game) the area with the highest people density. Furthermore, the linked-to report also said this is limited to the 3rd biggest carrier (or before their merger to the 3rd & 4th biggest).

Large parts of central and southern Germany are also dominated by the so-called Mittelgebirge, various low-ish mountain ranges similar to the Appalachian Mountains.

So build another tower or whatever it takes. It is inexcusable.
 

Mr. Donahue

macrumors 6502a
Sep 17, 2014
505
696
To think that in about 20 years, they might be shutting down LTE networks in the same way. I wonder what technologies we'll have then!

I imagine we will all have HUD displays through an optical implant chip that connects via radio waves.
 

unclemax

macrumors 6502
Sep 25, 2015
289
247
So build another tower or whatever it takes. It is inexcusable.

In densely crowded areas carriers are supposed to install many microcells / femtocells / picocells (whatever the name, just smaller range antennas). That’s what they do for airports / train stations / malls / business districts.
 

Apple 26.2

macrumors 6502a
Jan 1, 2011
955
173
What up, 212?!
Goes to show you how well made these devices are constructed and they last beyond most other competitor devices. There is still a demographic using the 3G as an iPhone today.
So true... and in many ways! I remember when I first got the phone, I went overseas for a month. Other than using it as an iPod, I didn't use it much, so I set it aside for the most part. When I arrived back in the States, the battery read 37% and that was after not using it for almost a month. That thing was seriously built like a tank.
 
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vladi

macrumors 6502a
Jan 30, 2010
962
576
Just switching to 2G your battery will last longer. Great when you hit critical percentage, not so great for messenger addicts.

T-Mobile's Evolved EDGE is quite good with well over 200kbits/s, it can handle IM as well as VOIP with a breeze. But Videos and Maps not so much.
 

raccoontail

macrumors regular
Jul 5, 2007
241
153
Just pulled my original iPhone out of a drawer after reading this. I actually like the design better than the new ones except for the smaller screens. A lot of original iPhone owners probably still have them lying around as they were sold unsubsidized at first and there wasn't much incentive to trade them in.

I know a few people who still use flip phones, and claim the lack of a digital tether makes them more productive. They may be on to something...
 

music7385

macrumors newbie
Nov 23, 2010
9
9
Pennsylvania, US
I know a few people who still use flip phones, and claim the lack of a digital tether makes them more productive. They may be on to something...

Long story short, I switched from an iphone 5s to a flipphone about 3 months ago. The difference is amazing, I don't feel attached to it and can enjoy tv shows/movies without feeling distracted. Definitely more productive. And dare I say, I believe the call quality is better.
 

porcupine8

macrumors 6502a
Mar 2, 2011
844
5
Well, I was one of them. My cellphone died a few days after Christmas, so I was using my backup cellphone, an old (2011 vintage) Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray that I had bought years ago in India. That phone was quad-band 2G but only dual-band 3G, and the 3G bands used in India are different from the 2G bands used here in the USA. So around new years day, I noticed I was not getting any cellphone reception and could only use wi-fi, and not make or receive texts or calls. It took me a few days to figure out why!

So they didn't even notify you first? Now THAT is a problem.

My husband still uses the first cell phone he ever got, a flip phone from 2005. (I just upgraded from an iPhone 4 to a 5S, and I've been trying to get him to take the 4 because his phone is dying anyhow, but he just wants a new flip phone. No, he's not 80, he's 37.) If T-Mobile did this with no warning, he'd be super pissed.
 

gwerhart0800

macrumors 6502
Mar 15, 2008
456
31
Loveland, CO
I have been waiting for this day since they took away the ability to shut off 3G after the iPhone 4. I live in the hogback ridges west Loveland/Fort Collins, Colorado. Until now, the closest tower was 2G and iPhone (and all other AT&T phones) would ignore it and try to connect to a 3G tower that was much farther away. Now I can finally dump our CenturyLink over priced land-line!!!!
 
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