Is Consumer Cellular Dropping Support for iPhone 5S Due to VoLTE?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around Consumer Cellular's potential discontinuation of support for the iPhone 5S due to the elimination of 3G service and the implications of VoLTE technology. Participants explore the compatibility of the iPhone 5S with current network requirements and the necessity of upgrading to newer devices.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that Consumer Cellular has urged an upgrade from the iPhone 5S, speculating that the issue may relate to the requirement for VoLTE, which the 5S does not support.
  • Another participant mentions that the iPhone 5S has stopped receiving OS updates, which could expose it to security vulnerabilities.
  • A different viewpoint suggests that the iPhone 5S may still function despite the 3G elimination, as LTE technology is complex and the phone may still be usable in certain contexts.
  • One participant shares their experience of upgrading to a newer iPhone SE, highlighting the financial aspect and the reluctance of some users to part with older devices that still function.
  • There is a mention of ongoing security updates for iOS 12, which the iPhone 5S is limited to, indicating some level of continued support despite the lack of major OS upgrades.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether the iPhone 5S will continue to work after the 3G phase-out, with some believing it may still function while others suggest it will not. There is no consensus on the necessity of upgrading or the implications of VoLTE.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference the technical specifications of LTE and VoLTE, but there are unresolved assumptions about the future functionality of the iPhone 5S and the implications of network changes on older devices.

jtbell
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TL;DR
Will my wife's iPhone 5S continue working with Consumer Cellular after they discontinue 3G service?
Our provider is Consumer Cellular, an MVNO that uses both the AT&T and Verizon networks, depending on location. Yesterday she received an e-mail from CC, urging her to upgrade her iPhone 5S because it will no longer work with CC after they eliminate 3G service early next year.

That puzzled me because I was pretty sure that the 5S is compatible with 4G technology. (It was my phone for several years before I upgraded to an iPhone XR about a year ago.)

After some online searches last night, here's my understanding...

Originally there was plain old 4G.

Then there was 4G LTE which improved data connections. The iPhone 5S came out during this period. There's an option in the settings to enable/disable LTE for data.

Then there was VoLTE (voice over LTE) which uses LTE for voice connections also. Apple introduced VoLTE in the iPhone 6, so the 5S does not have it. My current iPhone XR has an option in its settings to choose between LTE and 3G for voice and data together.

So my speculation is that Consumer Cellular's issue with the iPhone 5S is not with eliminating 3G per se, but instead with requiring 4G with VoLTE. Does this sound plausible?
 
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there's another reason to upgrade as the phone OS has stopped ipdating ie you can get new apps any youve boughten in the past are likely no longer downloadable for your OS.

This will leave the phone open to hacking...
 
jtbell said:
Then there was 4G LTE

LTE preceded 4G. It's actually release 8 of the 3G spec, and was almost 4G. It is entirely possible that your wife's phone will continue to work, and it's possible it won't.
 
She called up CC this morning and went ahead with the upgrade. $220 plus tax for a 2nd gen (2020) iPhone SE is a pretty good deal, considering that Apple sells it for $399.

And the 5S is getting long in the tooth. Apple doesn't support it with iOS upgrades any more, so it's stuck at iOS 12 (current version is iOS 14). But she's the kind of person who's reluctant to get rid of something that still works, which is great for our budget in general. :cool:

jedishrfu said:
there's another reason to upgrade as the phone OS has stopped ipdating
iOS 12 does still get security updates. This reminded me to check, and sure enough, 12.4.9 was available. I'm installing it now.

We figure after she gets the new phone and moves the SIM card over, she can still use the old one on Wi-Fi as sort of an "iPad micro".
 
Last edited:
That bodes well for you too. If you keep working she'll be reluctant to give you up. I have the same contract with my wife.
 

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