VERIZON may be killing off 3G sooner than expected

This is a controversial subject, and in a nutshell, Verizon is currently refarming its PCS 3G CDMA/EVDO spectrum to LTE/VoLTE/XLTE.

Sunset for Verizon 3G was projected for end of 2019, and in some articles it was even suggested that M2M devices (like security panels, vending machines, etc) would continue to function through 2021 (and possibly longer).

Well, as of July, 2015, Verizon is projected to completely run out of spectrum capacity by 2018 or so… even if they completely refarm all the 2G, and 3G CDMA/EVDO to LTE/VoLTE between now and then.

While Verizon's (NYSE: VZ) CFO touted the company's network densification plans during the company's second-quarter conference call, analysts are speculating the operator will face LTE network congestion issues over the next couple of years.
In a research report, analysts at New Street Research said that based on management comments, they estimate that if data growth continues at the current pace, Verizon will run out of capacity in the next two to three years, even if it refarms all 2G and 3G spectrum. "Densification may delay the crunch by a year or two, but sooner or later the company will need more spectrum," said analysts Jonathan Chaplin, Spencer Kurn and Vivek Stalam. And if the much anticipated OTT offering is successful, "it will only exacerbate this," they said.

For full article, see:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/story/analysts-verizon-could-run-out-network-capacity-2-3-years/2015-07-23