new speed

I don’t think you could. There is no opt-out option in the text. https://www.koodomobile.com/en/help/5g-1gbps-migration?

From my observation, it is a new trend with Canadian carriers, starting with Rogers. Technically, they just increased the speed cap set a few years ago.

YES! I want to OPT OUT TOO!! I just spent $90 on a NEW phone that can handle 4G, and that is ALL I NEED!!! My phone is for texts and EMERGENCY/SHORT calls ONLY! I do NOT need internet access or other “data” uses - that is what computers are for!  I am NOT spending more money on more phones cos of forced upgrades to that stupid 5G garbage!!   If I did not ask for it,  I do not want it!! 

The stupid customer service is impossible to reach! Goddamned AI chat crap keeps asking the same stupid questions and does not understand my answers!  

 

Curious as to why you would not want to be upgraded to the new speed if there is no extra charge?

The only issue I have with 5G is that my battery appears to drain  a little quicker versus being on a 4G network.

For those (like me) who may be panicking over a “forced” 5G upgrade and how it will affect existing hardware (4G phones)  Dinh’s link does say this : 
 

What if I have an older 4G LTE phone?

No problem at all! If your current phone doesn't support 5G, you don't need to run out and buy a new one. Your phone will continue to work perfectly on our reliable 4G LTE network. While you won't hit 1Gbps speeds on an older LTE device, you will naturally inherit the maximum optimal performance your phone can handle on our 4G infrastructure until you decide to upgrade to a 5G phone down the road.

(Provided “down the road” does not mean within a few short months!)

For specific details about 4G coverage in your area, you can check out Koodo's coverage map to see exactly where 4G service is available in your region.

I hate modern technology. It’s too goddamned Orwellian now. I’m sick of the constant unnecessary upgrades and forced migrations. I do not want to be replacing my damn device every 5 minutes cos of this overrated garbage. I’m on a fixed income and cannot afford this obnoxious stupidity. I just need a simple wireless phone for calls & texts (and not even calls - emergency and shot calls only - extended calls are for LANDLINES) - THAT’ S ALL I need and want. I don’t need all the other junk that requires “data uasage”… That’s what REAL computers are for. 

 

Last information I read is that 4G networks will not begin to be retired until around 2030, so you are probably good for at least 4 years minimum.

There is no downside for your plan to be upgraded to 5G speeds. In fact, a good chunk of these new plans are generally cheaper than the legacy plans with higher data limits.

If you are really concerned, you can switch to a starter plan limited to 3G speeds or Koodo Prepaid plans at 4G speeds, but I do not see the point in doing that unless you are getting a great deal.

No downside? Uhm, how about having to BUY A NEW PHONE for starters? I just bought a new one cos my old 3G is gonna be rendered a useless paperweight in the coming weeks. I’m not made of money, pal. I’m disabled on a fixed income and can barley afford to keep the lights on and food in the house without these obnoxious tech whores forcing the latest piece of over-rated under-performing garbage down our throats.. 

Why are you recommending a 3G starter plan when the death knell for the 3G network has been sounded? 

I already had the prepaid plan. I needed some features to screen obnoxious cold-calling scammers, but such features were only available on monthly plans, so I switched. 

 

2030 sounds good. I’ll probably long gone anyway by then and not have to worry about any of this crap anymore. 

“Why wouldn’t you want it?”  Seriously? Just because something is newer or “faster” doesn’t mean it’s better or even any damn good at all. 

Frankly, to me, your query makes you sound like a “marketing mouthpiece” on behalf of Koodo, to passively shame people for not wanting the latest pile of crap being forced down our throats - as if to suggest we are ingrates or just “crazy” for not jumping on the bandwidth bandwagon. . 

Does it not occur to you that maybe some people are just happy with whatever modest, simpler option they have, or maybe it’s all they can afford, and not everyone has to have everything upgraded to the absolute max just “cuz idz duh fewtchur” ? It’s like killing flies with a cannon rather than a simple swatter. 

Not everybody needs the damn Death Star to do some occasional texting or the rare phone call - as it is with me - the ONLY reason I have a cell (mobile phone)  AT ALL is cos of all the damn prerequisites for texting, like verification/security codes and whatnot (some places won’t just send such things to email anymore, cos some evil idiot combined wireless phone, email, and text all into one networked thing, ASSUMING everyone is on all those platforms).

I never go anywhere, I don’t need a mobile phone at all. But the texting thing makes it necessary. As such, I do not want to waste money on a device with “features” I will NEVER USE. I only want/need the bare-bones basics on my mobile device - NO more, NO less - and the $28/mo I pay is still way too expensive, but it’s the cheapest and most useful-for-MY-needs option I can find anywhere.

I hate texting in general, and my landline phone is better for normal/extended calls (fewer DROPPED calls and signal breakup on an actual physical line). 

Furthermore, 5G is just evil and/or lethal. If you (still) think that fact is a “conspiracy theory” or whatever, then you are just another one of the mindless sheep who whores out to the newest thing that comes out with zero regard for the practicality or logic of it. People like you make it hard on people like me, who are satisfied with the “if it aint broke, don’t fix/replace/upgrade it” mentality, because every time you sheep go along with the trends and allow yourselves to be herded into the next pen of conformity via the latest upgrade or trend, you confirm to these corporate despots that it’s what “people want”, even when it’s NOT.

Then those of us who are happy where we are at, get sucked into the scam and forced to go along with is whether we like it or not. It’s an active plot, genius - and going along with it without question (let alone resistance) makes you complicit. 

How would you feel if someone came along and forced YOU to DOWNGRADE to something, because it’s “better” (aside from the fact it probably is)?? Haven’t you ever had a pushy salesman try to sell you extra junk you don’t need or want when buying a car or an appliance? Extended warranties and crap like that?

That’s what this “complimentary upgrade “ to 5G is like, only what Koodo is doing with the forced migration to 5G is SO MUCH WORSE than any pushy salesman, cos we don’t even have the power or option to say NO - which is the whole idea for the globalist agenda pushing it ; take away people's power and right to choose according to their own needs/preferences, take away the power to say NO. 

I don’t think you’d appreciate things you do not like or want being imposed upon you, so maybe try to pull your head out of your ass and think outside of your own selfish little bubble.  Not everyone likes what you like or thinks how you think (assuming you ever do). 

There’s more to consider than just cost, or “new & shiny” status, or whatever your focus is.

What good is forcing everybody to “upgrade” to cars from bicycles if they can’t afford the gas? Even if the cars are cheap or even FREE, so what?? The gas isn’t! Nor is the maintenance and repairs! Maybe the cyclist simply has NO PLACE TO PARK a whole car!

Your defective mindset and worldview is effectively only succeeding in robbing people of whatever conveyance they have, enjoy, and maybe heavily rely on, for one they don’t even really need and is incompatible with their needs, budget, and lifestyle. This “generous effort” of an unsolicited “upgrade” does more harm than good.  You think you’re helping them “get around” faster, but all you did is leave them stranded on the curb.  Are you savvying my metaphor here? 

I don’t know about the OP, but for me, if I do not ask for it, I do not want it, I do not care how much “better” YOU or anybody else thinks it is.

I want FREEDOM of CHOICE, and be able to stay with MY preferences, not have them taken away, changed to something undesired and/or useless for me, or be forced to adapt to some uniformed cookie-cutter concept of CRAP.  

And the fact you even acknowledge the 5G is a battery-siphoning pig, you still ignore that in favor of frivolously small gains. I’d rather have a moderate phone with long and reliable battery life than some “super fast” slick upgrade that proves the only thing it does FAST is kill the battery (and with 5G, probably give you brain cancer or something).

What happened to “live and let live” and “to each their own”?
Now all I see is “upgrade as we say, or be left behind”.  
What happened tot “customer service”? The SERVICE is gone, and soon, so too will the customers. A lot of people are expressing a preference to go back to the primitive conditions of the stone age than put up with this relentless and never-ending Borg-assimilation bullshit. 

I honestly do not understand or appreciate why any of us have to defend or explain our preferences for older “legacy” options. 

Just LISTEN to people - ALL people, not just the mindless majority - and GIVE the people what they actually WANT (variety, choice, freedom, value, respect, and service), and stop TELLING them what they want. 


 

Could you share which phone model you're currently using? If you find that 4G works better for you, you can always set your phone to 4G (LTE) mode only. That's always an option!. 

It’s the ZTE Cymbal 2, model Z2335L. By default is has a little “LTE” icon on the main display, so if there is such a setting, I’m guessing it’s already active?

I just picked this out of a wildly limited selection of options. I think another ZTE Cymbal model was a close contender, I don’t recall that model number.  

I just prefer the “clam shell” or “flip” phones design. Real keypad, NO touchscreen garbage. 
​​​​​​​

If you recently upgrade your phone as well, chances are you also got a plan that is already 5G enabled when you got the new phone which means the only change is that they’re changing the speed cap to a higher one.

The model is not a 5G phone (LTE only), You could only use it on a 4G (LTE) network. The 5G speed change wouldn’t affect your daily usage.

So, are you saying this is just a “bottlenecking” situation? A “backwards compatible” aspect is applied?

I don’t really care what they upgrade their network to as long as it is NOT DISRUPTIVE and my hardware (phone) will (still) work on it.

It just sounds like whatever they are upgrading to will be the “MINIMUM requirement” and all hardware devices must comply - which it sounds like my “NEW” phone does not…?  I just better not get screwed over or left in the lurch (again) on this nonsense. 

First, Koodo informs me of the 3G network ending in the coming weeks, and phones on that network will only be supported for maybe another year (?) for an additional $5/mo - I say screw that. So I rushed out and grabbed a “new” (refurbished) phone I would not entirely hate, that could handle the 4G thing… 

And then THIS nonsense about “free” (but forced) upgrades on all customer accounts, cos of yet another bridge-burning move (forsaking all previous networks and devices) to push that confounded and infernal 5G - something that I NEVER asked for NOR consented to - a move which could potentially require yet ANOTHER new phone ; likely some modern touchscreen piece of junk I will definitely hate and cannot afford… 

Hi ​@WTWASP 

We understand that this speed upgrade announcement may raise some concerns or questions.

With a 5G speed plan, you will still be able to use your 4G/LTE phone, and it should work just fine. The only thing is that the speed will be capped depending on your phone speed capabilities, but this shouldn’t affect your daily usage as stated above by Dinh.

In the article shared by Dinh at the beginning of the thread, you will find this section:

“What if I have an older 4G LTE phone?

No problem at all! If your current phone doesn't support 5G, you don't need to run out and buy a new one. Your phone will continue to work perfectly on our reliable 4G LTE network. While you won't hit 1Gbps speeds on an older LTE device, you will naturally inherit the maximum optimal performance your phone can handle on our 4G infrastructure until you decide to upgrade to a 5G phone down the road.

For specific details about 4G coverage in your area, you can check out Koodo's coverage map to see exactly where 4G service is available in your region.”

You can also check your device compatibility here: https://www.koodomobile.com/en/help/phone-compatibility

Let us know if you have further questions!

​@WTWASP I think there is a slight misunderstanding here.

5G is already here and has been here for a while now.  People could be on a 4G plan but using a 5G network (Koodo customers can use any of the available Telus networks regardless of their plan speeds), but the speeds are capped at 4G speeds.  Even if Koodo didn’t send this upgrade text, the 5G network will continue to be built and expanded. I highly doubt Koodo is still building any 4G towers anymore.

All Koodo is doing is just removing the speed caps on all of the networks they are running.

Your point about 4G being sunset and 5G being the standard is valid though.  Likely it will happen in the US first just like they started their 2G shutdown (2017) and 3G shutdown (2022). However, this free upgrade is not this.  The free upgrade is only about lifting the caps or dramatically increasing the caps on the speeds on the koodo network.

EDIT: Sorry Flo…. this took me 20mins to type out and I got side tracked

Yes, I’m aware that 5G has been around a while… it’s just that lately, it’s been feeling like it’s getting a much harder push than before with intent to eradicate all other networks before it, rendering all to “get on 5G or be left behind”. 

Anyway, as long as my 4G LTE phone is in no danger or becoming a paperweight anytime soon, AND my existing plan is not altered or modified in any way without my express request or consent (whether via cost or via features & functions), then that’s fine. 

I really don’t think speed is a concern for me since I ONLY use my phone for texts and maybe the odd call. And to that, my concern is connectivity reliability (no dropped calls or crappy broken reception) and reliable battery life (my previous phone would drain the battery in no time on even just ONE short call, hence my aversion to calls on cell phones that are not emergencies).  I doubt “data speed” plays into my device and needs in any noticeable way. 

Thanks to all who offered clarity. I hope you are correct that my 4G phone will remain compatible and functional even if a 5G network is all that remains. 

Yeah, I did check my device’s compatibility and it all checks out - IMEI number and all. Regardless, I just hope there is not a conflict somewhere somehow.

I hope everything else you said holds true. about my current phone having no “sunset” scenarios for quite some time.  

I think Koodo’s promotions/marketing department needs to work on their communication skills, cos this recent promotion about the free upgrade to 5G (and everything that suggested device incompatibility) really threw me for a loop, and if there’s one thing I do not need in my life is more stress on top of what I already have from other crap beyond my control. 

I was not recommending plans, but rather providing you with other options. Both of them are not great, yet those are the limited choices you get when you are trying to avoid 5G plans.

There are many budget and mid-tier phones that offer 5G capabilities nowadays, so you can future-proof your device without having to change it every few years.

While the Call Control feature is really useful, you do not necessarily need it to screen your calls. There are third-party apps that do provide spam protection, such as Hiya, Truecaller, and Robokiller.