Rogers is notifying some of its customers and customers with its flanker brand Fido that they’ll need to upgrade their phones ahead of the company’s planned 3G network shutdown next year. Rogers is offering free phone upgrades to impacted customers.

“As part of our commitment to continually invest in our word-class network, we will retire our 3G mobile network on July 31st, 2025 to pave the way for updated technology,” reads the Rogers notice, which was shared to Reddit. “After a review of your account, we noticed that you will need to update your device to ensure your phone… will continue to work.”

Fido customers also shared a notice with similar wording.

Rogers and Fido are encouraging impacted customers to contact their provider to get a replacement phone “at no additional cost.”

When asked by MobileSyrup which phones would be available for no-cost upgrades, Rogers simply said that it was “offering various models” and encouraged customers to contact it directly or head to a store to see their options.

However, one of the impacted customers shared their experience speaking with Rogers on Reddit, noting they were offered two phone options and a bill credit equal to the financing price of the phones, effectively making the price $0. The phones offered included the Moto G 5G (2023) and the Samsung Galaxy A54. Notably, both of these phones are already available for $0 down and $0/mo financing on Rogers’ website, so this isn’t really a special deal.

Humorously, one Redditor said they called the number Fido provided in its notice and spoke with two agents, neither of which knew about the device replacement offer.

Ultimately, it’s likely best for customers to wait and see what deals come out during Black Friday and the holiday shopping season. Customers might be able to pick up a much better phone than what Rogers is offering and find a better deal on a 4G/5G plan at another provider (Keep in mind that all Canadian providers will eventually phase out their 3G networks).

Another concern is what will happen to customers’ existing plans. When I asked Rogers about this, it pointed me to its FAQ page about the impending 3G shutdown, which notes that “in the majority of cases plans don’t need to be changed.” Rogers also said it will “ensure you pay a similar price you pay today” in the event customers do need to change their plan.

Finally, it’s worth noting that some people may be able to avoid getting a new device entirely by changing some settings on their existing phone. Rogers’ FAQ page notes that 3G-only devices and phones that don’t support Voice over LTE (VoLTE) will need to be replaced. While there’s not much people with 3G-only devices can do, those with 4G-capable devices might be able to turn on VoLTE if their phone supports it.

iPhone users can head to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data > LTE > VoLTE to turn on the feature.

Android users can find VoLTE by heading to Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > VoLTE calls.

Rogers recommends restarting your phone after turning on VoLTE to “resolve any network connectivity issues.”

If your device doesn’t support VoLTE, you won’t see the option on your phone and will need to upgrade your device before the 3G network shutdown in July 2025. Since the best mobile deals usually happen during the holidays, Black Friday will likely be the best time to upgrade your phone.

Source: Reddit, (2), Rogers