The Ministry of Communications announced that starting January 1, support for the old cellular networks - second generation (GSM) and third generation (UMTS) - will be permanently discontinued.
The move, which aims to free up frequencies for advanced networks, is expected to directly affect tens of thousands of consumers who use standard phones that do not support the new technologies.
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Approximately 6%-7% of the active devices in Israel still operate on these networks. Most of them are old-generation kosher phones.
According to the announcement, devices that do not support 4th or 5th generation, and in particular voice calls using VoLTE technology, will be completely disconnected from the service. This means: calls, messages, browsing, receiving emergency alerts - will not be available at all.
According to estimates, there are still many models in the kosher phone market that are based only on third-generation networks, which could cause confusion among users.
Even in their third age, seniors show a clear preference for simple, non-touchscreen devices. For this population, the cessation of support could lead to disconnection from critical emergency systems and communications that could potentially save lives.
The Ministry of Communications announced that it will operate a call center at number 235, where you can check whether a particular device supports 4th or 5th generation and VoLTE calls.
