Amidst the (hopefully) final throes of a brutal global pandemic, seniors and their families in the U.S. this year will face additional problems in 2022. The closure of major 3G networks will mean the end of the line for older mobile personal emergency response system (mPERS) devices used by the elderly across America.
Hundreds of thousands of these vital medical tracking devices will be rendered inoperable by the 3G shutdown, leaving elderly users and caregivers scrambling to switch to 4G and Wi-Fi-based devices. The upgrade cost, at least $150, comes at a time of great economic hardship for many ordinary folk.
The first Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) units were invented in Germany in the early 1970s. Initial PERS were bulky, and used a pendant linked to a landline phone, which tied the elderly to their home.
Source: 3G Sunset Spells Trouble for Many Medical Tracking Devices | EE Times