THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021 Page 15 S y Senior Senior Alert: Your old cell Sa en o a i Al t Seni BY JIM MILLER nior ld ll ior i r phone may not work in 2022 Dear Savvy Senior, My 80-year-old father has an old flip phone he carries around with him for emergency purposes, but I’ve heard that these devices will soon be phased out. Is this true? If so, how can we know if his phone will be aff ected, and where can I find him a simple new one that he can operate. Searching Daughter Dear Searching, Yes, it’s true! If your dad’s mobile phone is more than a few years old, he will probably need to upgrade it in the very near future. Why? Because all of the major cell phone carriers – AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile – are shutting down their older 3G networks in 2022 to free up airwaves for 5G and other advanced services. So, if your dad is using an old 3G phone, like millions of other older Americans, he’ll need to get a new device if he wants to make calls, text or reach 911. But you should also know that it’s not just older cellphones that will be obsolete. Older home security systems, medical devices and personal emergency response systems that still harness 3G will also be affected. Adding to the confusion, older 4G phones that don’t support modern cellular voice technologies, such as Voice Over LTE or HD Voice, are impacted, too. Those customers may need a software upgrade or a new phone. Here are the timelines for the 3G shutdowns: AT&T– Feb. 2022; T-Mobile–July 1, 2022; Verizon–Dec. 31, 2022; Sprint (which is owned by T-Mobile)–March 31, 2022; and Sprint LTE– June 30, 2022. Other smaller carriers like Tracfone, Cricket, Boost and Straight Talk, will also be aff ected, because they rely on airwaves from the big three. Is Your Phone Affected? Cell phone carriers say they have been alerting customers who use older phones that services are ending, sending a combination of texts, letters, phone calls and emails. If you’re not sure about your dad’s phone, contact his carrier or check their website for a list of aff ected devices. Another way to see if your dad’s phone is 3G is to look up his international mobile equipment identity number which can be found by pressing *#06# on his keypad. Once you have it, go to www.imei.info and type it in the search bar to get the phone’s details. If his phone has a frequency of 900 megahertz (MHz) or 2100 MHz, it’s 3G. You can also look for a “3G” icon at the top corner of his phone, but not all 3G phones have that icon. How to Upgrade If you find that you do need to upgrade your dad’s cellphone, carriers are offering discounts and special promotions on replacement devices. If you’re worried about your dad having to learn your way around a new device, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of modern new fl ip phones available that work on the next-generation networks. Or, if your dad decides that he would rather forge ahead without a phone than upgrade, then he will need to cancel the service. Most carriers will let you cancel your plan without any penalty. However, if he forgets to cancel his phone plan and doesn’t upgrade to a working device, the company won’t automatically stop charging him just because he isn’t able to access their network. How to Recycle If your dad does have to replace his old cellphone, the best way to dispose of it is to recycle it. Large retailers, such as Best Buy, offer recycling programs for old electronics. Or you can search for local recycling programs on websites like Call2Recycle. org and Earth911.com. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 11 powerful rhythm section. The band is fronted by Samantha Rae. Critics call her “a beautiful and energetic small town country spitfi re who packs both a punch and sultry country tone.” The band was nominated and won the prestigious fan-voted New England Country Music Group of the Year. For tickets, call the Kowloon Restaurant at 781-233-0077. Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Program during the 21-22 School Year (Editor’s Note: The following info is from an announcement submitted by Julie Cicolini, a member of the Board of Directors for Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus, providing information about program.) Who we are: Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus (HS2) is a nonprofi t group of volunteers that are helping to off set food insecurity in households. HS2 provides students/families that enroll in the program a supply of nutritious food for when school lunches and breakfasts are unavailable to them on weekends. How HS2 can help you: HS2 bags are distributed at school on Fridays to take home. Bags include such items as peanut butter, jelly, a loaf of bread, canned meals/soups/tuna/vegetables, pasta/sauce, fruit cups, cereal, oatmeal, goldfi sh, pretzels and granola bars. To sign up, complete the online form: https://forms.gle/gmMGguycSHBdziuE9. Want to partner with us: HS2 relies on donations to create take-home bags for a weekend full of meals. All food is provided to children free of charge. It is our hope these resources will support the health, behavior and achievement of every student who participates. We would love to partner with organizations, youth groups, PTO’s, businesses and individuals to assist in feeding students of Saugus. To learn more about how you can partner with us visit the Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus Facebook page or email us at HS2Saugus@gmail.com. Checks can also be sent directly to: Salem Five c/o Healthy Students-Healthy Saugus, 8555 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906. Online donations can also be made at https://givebutter.com/ HealthySaugus. HS2 is accepting nonperishables to support the program. Items can be dropped off in a designated donation bin at the Saugus Town Hall lobby. Items have been carefully chosen and we ask that donations are not expired and come only from this list: – Macaroni & cheese, 7.5 oz. – Peanut butter, 15 oz. – Jelly (squeeze plastic bottles) – Canned vegetables (i.e., sliced carrots, green beans, peas, corn), 15 oz. – Canned tuna, 5 oz. – Canned chicken, 10 oz. – Canned beans – Canned meals (i.e., soups, chili, SpaghettiOs, raviolis) – Fruit cups – Oatmeal packets – Cold cereal – Granola bars – Pasta – Pasta sauce (no glass) Let’s hear it! Got an idea, passing thought or gripe you would like to share with The Saugus Advocate? I’m always interested in your feedback. It’s been over fi ve and a half years since I began work at The Saugus Advocate. I’m always interested in hearing readers’ suggestions for possible stories or good candidates for “The Advocate Asks” interview of the week. Feel free to email me at mvoge@comcast.net. Do you have some interesting views on an issue that you want to express to the community? Submit your idea. If I like it, we can meet for a 15to 20-minute interview over a hot drink at a local coff ee shop. And I’ll buy the coff ee or tea. Or, if you prefer to continue practicing social distancing and be interviewed from the safety of your home on the phone or via email, I will provide that option to you as the nation recovers from the Coronavirus crisis. If it’s a nice day, my preferred site for a coff ee and interview would be the picnic area of the Saugus Iron Works.
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