Question When does each major cell network drop 3G service?

[GunsMadeAmericaFree]

I just bought some old Nokia Lumia 822 Windows 8 phones to use as MP3 players for listening to music while mowing this year. Just for fun, I inserted our current Android phone's sim card, which is a Tracfone one running on the Verizon network.

It worked in the Nokia Lumia 822! I couldn't believe it, because this thing is 3G or 3.5G for voice, and only has 4G for LTE. (no VOLTE support) I thought for sure it would no longer work for making and receiving calls, but it does.

So of course, now I'm wondering if I could set my two older kids up with these as emergency cell phones. Tracfone is selling sim cards with a year of service (20 hours of call time) for about $31, and you can pick which network - AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile that it would work on. However, I'm not sure which one would be a better choice, or even if any of them would support these phones for the next year.
Is there a chart somewhere that shows when the 3G voice support is ending on each of the major carriers?

Thanks!
P.S. these things have the following bands:
3G CDMA2000 1xEV-DO
HSDPA 850/ 900/ 1900/ 2100

4G LTE Band 13(700)

 

[gpse]

HSPA should be around for many years since we are only now starting to shut down CDMA and GPRS/EDGE. POS, Alarms with Cellular backup, Cars with smartphone access, etc. aren't even using LTE, they use 3G

 

[darkswordsman17]

I think they actually have to submit plans for this type of thing to the FCC. I feel like I recall there being articles about it on Ars, and that it might happen sooner than you think because they need to repurpose the spectrum.

Looks like for Verizon its this year. AT&T its 2022.

AT&T to shut down 3G network in 2022; Verizon at end of 2019 – IEEE ComSoc Technology Blog

techblog.comsoc.org

No idea on T Mobile or Sprint, but I'd guess they had to detail that as part of their merger plans.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I have a T-Mobile 4G LTE data-capable and wifi calling SIM, and my primary Samsung phone failed, so I was using a Chinese-made phone, that was only up to 3G capable. While this phone worked fine and nice and strong with an ATT MNVO SIM, the TMO SIM seemed to be struggling along for voice usage, on just GSM or EDGE. Voice calls were choppy, signal strength was poor, calls get dropped often. I've got my new Samsung phone today, and the same SIM in a 4G LTE phone works great for voice calls again.
My assessment of this situation, is that T-Mobile has largely abandoned anything pre-4G.

It wasn't just that the Chinese phone was crappy, it worked just fine with the ATT SIM.

 

[killster1]

HSPA should be around for many years since we are only now starting to shut down CDMA and GPRS/EDGE. POS, Alarms with Cellular backup, Cars with smartphone access, etc. aren't even using LTE, they use 3G

I dont think verizon uses hspa, their phones offer it for roaming in other countries but in USA i dont think they do

I have a T-Mobile 4G LTE data-capable and wifi calling SIM, and my primary Samsung phone failed, so I was using a Chinese-made phone, that was only up to 3G capable. While this phone worked fine and nice and strong with an ATT MNVO SIM, the TMO SIM seemed to be struggling along for voice usage, on just GSM or EDGE. Voice calls were choppy, signal strength was poor, calls get dropped often. I've got my new Samsung phone today, and the same SIM in a 4G LTE phone works great for voice calls again.
My assessment of this situation, is that T-Mobile has largely abandoned anything pre-4G.

It wasn't just that the Chinese phone was crappy, it worked just fine with the ATT SIM.

Tmobile has always been terrible in rural parts for me maybe its the same for you, not just for 3g but 4g lte etc..

i would just buy a modern android phone whats the point in having windows phones? they actually make a 6.2" phone for 60$ new

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my kids now have galaxy s9's that i purchased for 150 on ebay used ;( before that galaxy s7 purchased used for 120? no need to torture your kids with a dated phone

 

[Fanatical Meat]

HSPA should be around for many years since we are only now starting to shut down CDMA and GPRS/EDGE. POS, Alarms with Cellular backup, Cars with smartphone access, etc. aren't even using LTE, they use 3G

This, 2G is still around for similar reasons however the carrier will at some point shut down 3G service for non corporate customers to move some of the bandwidth to something else but I doubt the phone will be working well when that day arrives.