Verizon "CDMA Network Retirement"

[Z3Dreamer]

Does this effect anyone other than me?
https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-218813/

Basically, come 12/31/19 or 1/1/20 (per Verizon Support), Verizon is changing what types of phone they will support/use/allow. The article lists which phones are no longer allowed. My phone will be a brick. Phone was a top rated phone when purchased in 2015 and still does everything I want. Apparently my phone does 4G LTE but not HD Voice.

Newer phones do both CDMA and GSM and HD Voice, so not a big deal for many.

Yes, I can buy the overpriced phones at Verizon Wireless, but ads other places still think that Verizon is CDMA. These ads say that their phone will not work on Verizon because Verizon is CDMA.

I guess I have to wait closer to year end. Anyone else?

 

[braumeister]

Frankly I'm surprised it took them this long. The rest of the world has been GSM for a long time.

 

[upupandaway]

This does not affect my device but I wanted to add that I stopped buying the overpriced phones at Verizon. I have been buying secondhand phones from Swappa or reconditioned phones from Amazon sellers. I generally buy one or two models behind the current device and have had great luck. I just make sure the rating for the seller on swappa or the return policy on Amazon is favorable and I pull the trigger. YMMV but it has been working great for me at deep discounts. There are enough people that have to have the latest device the second it comes out that the market is pretty flooded with wonderful phones only a year or two old.

 

[ERD50]

What I see at your link is you will have service until year end next year (Dec 31, 2020).

The 2019 dates is about bringing new devices, limited tech support, etc. I do not think your phone will be a brick for more than a year. And if it is a smartphone, it might still be handy to use on a wifi for non-phone call stuff.

I'd suggest that you wait a year, and then buy an unlocked device that will work on the networks you prefer.

-ERD50

 

[Z3Dreamer]

What I see at your link is you will have service until year end next year (Dec 31, 2020).

The 2019 dates is about bringing new devices, limited tech support, etc. I do not think your phone will be a brick for more than a year. And if it is a smartphone, it might still be handy to use on a wifi for non-phone call stuff.

I'd suggest that you wait a year, and then buy an unlocked device that will work on the networks you prefer.

-ERD50

Yes, that is part of my confusion. You and I read the article the same. Unfortunately, my mobile hotspot stopped working as this is a phased rollout. 2 separate Verizon support people told me that the brick date is now 1/1/20. In other words Verizon has moved things up.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

This does not affect my device but I wanted to add that I stopped buying the overpriced phones at Verizon. I have been buying secondhand phones from Swappa or reconditioned phones from Amazon sellers. I generally buy one or two models behind the current device and have had great luck. I just make sure the rating for the seller on swappa or the return policy on Amazon is favorable and I pull the trigger. YMMV but it has been working great for me at deep discounts. There are enough people that have to have the latest device the second it comes out that the market is pretty flooded with wonderful phones only a year or two old.

Swappa looks great. Thanks.

 

[Bongleur]

And if it is a smartphone, it might still be handy to use on a wifi for non-phone call stuff. -ERD50

How do you make a phone work without first setting up an account of some sort? I bought a cheapo Android at Target to control Christmas lights (via their app) , but i cannot download anything without creating some sort of account first.

 

[pb4uski]

How do you make a phone work without first setting up an account of some sort? I bought a cheapo Android at Target to control Christmas lights (via their app) , but i cannot download anything without creating some sort of account first.

Why can't you just use wi-fi?

On phones, we have Motorola Moto G7 Play phones.... unlocked and work on both GSM or CDMA... we bought for on sale for $170 at Best Buy (currenltly $200). Good value.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

How do you make a phone work without first setting up an account of some sort? I bought a cheapo Android at Target to control Christmas lights (via their app) , but i cannot download anything without creating some sort of account first.

It sounds like you mean a Google Play, so you can use the (Android default) Google Play app store. You might decide to only use free apps, but since even free apps often have in-app purchases, I believe you will need to have your Google Play account set up, including credit card or prepaid funding, to download any apps.

If you need to enter a phone number, can you use a free Google Voice number?

 

[ERD50]

How do you make a phone work without first setting up an account of some sort? I bought a cheapo Android at Target to control Christmas lights (via their app) , but i cannot download anything without creating some sort of account first.

You may need to set up a google email, or some other form of google account to download apps. You won't need a phone number, I use android tablets that have no phone capability (wifi only).

-ERD50

 

[Jerry1]

How do you make a phone work without first setting up an account of some sort? I bought a cheapo Android at Target to control Christmas lights (via their app) , but i cannot download anything without creating some sort of account first.

It sounds like you mean a Google Play, so you can use the (Android default) Google Play app store. You might decide to only use free apps, but since even free apps often have in-app purchases, I believe you will need to have your Google Play account set up, including credit card or prepaid funding, to download any apps.

If you need to enter a phone number, can you use a free Google Voice number?

I have the same issue. I’d like to buy a cheap Android phone to control my drone but I don’t really want to mess with a new account. Is there anyway to download free apps without providing a credit card? What about loading up a small amount on a gift card?

 

[jimbee]

I have the same issue. I’d like to buy a cheap Android phone to control my drone but I don’t really want to mess with a new account. Is there anyway to download free apps without providing a credit card? What about loading up a small amount on a gift card?

I don't have a credit card associated with my Google account. Whenever Google Play asks for a payment source update, I select skip.

 

[FIYes]

Verizon "CDMA Network Retirement"

You can set up an account without linking a credit card. You do need a gmail address to do this. If for some reason you don’t want to use an already established gmail address that you have, then set up a new gmail address just for this purpose. I don’t have a credit card linked since I only download free apps on my phone. When I go to the Play Store I get a nag about linking a credit card, but hey no big deal.

 

[Jerry1]

I don't have a credit card associated with my Google account. Whenever Google Play asks for a payment source update, I select skip.

You can set up an account without linking a credit card. You do need a gmail address to do this. If for some reason you don’t want to use an already established gmail address that you have, then set up a new gmail address just for this purpose. I don’t have a credit card linked since I only download free apps on my phone. When I go to the Play Store I get a nag about linking a credit card, but hey no big deal.

Sweet! Thanks. I have a couple gmail accounts so that’s no problem at all.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

ERD50, my phone still works, so what Verizon support told me is wrong and what the link says is correct. I have another year, maybe, to obsess about replacing my phone.

 

[Bongleur]

Why can't you just use wi-fi?

Because that exposes my private information completely -- going out over my IP address, it connects that phone to everything already gathered about me.

Gotta learn VPN...

Everybody seems to be missing the point. I do not have a Google Account, or an Android account, and I want to keep it that way.

Maybe I need a Linux phone? But downloading any app over my IP address still exposes "me" to the provider of the app and any hidden "phone home" datamining within the app.

This Christmas light app was made in China. They have a huge national infrastructure devoted to spying on the United States. 99.999999% of the data they can gather is useless, but that's what Big Data is all about.

Funny this board's spellcheck still does not recognize "datamining" as a word!

 

[CaptTom]

Because that exposes my private information completely -- going out over my IP address, it connects that phone to everything already gathered about me.

Everybody seems to be missing the point. I do not have a Google Account, or an Android account, and I want to keep it that way.

I don't think we're missing the point.

I use several GMail accounts. It's not a one-to-one relationship. Those accounts are not "me." They're dedicated to one function only. An alter-ego if you will.

Yes, if you use one account for your phone, that becomes the alter-ego for everything you do on that phone. Start adding credit cards, location tracking, etc. and it starts to develop a persona which resembles you.

But, if you create a new account, use that to activate your Android phone, and only use it to download one app which controls your Christmas lights, it's a pretty incomplete picture of "you."

Add a VPN and you're even more anonymous. But it may not be worth the bother.

IP addresses are getting more and more dynamic. Even if you have a static IP address on your home cable or DSL modem, and even if it's not NAT'ed by the provider, there still could be lots of different devices, belonging to different people, connecting through it. Some cable company routers set up a public access point by default. Total strangers passing by could be using it. Your friends and relatives could be using it. Which subset of all that traffic represents "you?"

Even if you're the only one using your router, "Big Data" can't know that. There's an assumption that any number of individuals COULD be using it.

Of course, you have to resist the temptation to click on anything which wants to tie your social media accounts, credit cards, contact list, phone numbers, delivery address, etc. to your new GMail account. And if you're really worried about a broader picture being painted of your browsing habits, set your browser to delete cookies and block trackers.

 

[Bongleur]

I use several GMail accounts. It's not a one-to-one relationship.
...
But, if you create a new account, use that to activate your Android phone, and only use it to download one app which controls your Christmas lights, it's a pretty incomplete picture of "you."

IP addresses are getting more and more dynamic. Even if you have a static IP address on your home cable or DSL modem, and even if it's not NAT'ed by the provider, there still could be lots of different devices, belonging to different people, connecting through it. Some cable company routers set up a public access point by default. Total strangers passing by could be using it. Your friends and relatives could be using it. Which subset of all that traffic represents "you?"

Even if you're the only one using your router, "Big Data" can't know that. There's an assumption that any number of individuals COULD be using it.

If use access those Gmail accounts from your home IP address, then it can and is being aggregated.

To activate my phone I have to pay; are there mall kiosks where I can do this by paying cash? This is a "TracFone" but I suppose I could buy another if the kiosk accepts cash.

Interesting to learn that they might try to make the router in my house accept "public" traffic. I don't think DSL has enough bandwidth to allow others to use it. I'd see performance degraded. And its range is too short. What tools will tell me if anyone else utilizing "my" modem/router?