North American service providers have or are in the process of discontinuing 3G cellular networks. This decision by the mobile carriers will eventually impact Alert Labs 3G cellular sensors, as they rely on those networks to communicate.
US service providers retired the 3G network in 2022.
Canadian service providers began retiring the 3G network in July 2025 and expect it to be complete Q1 2027.
What does this mean for me?
Some Alert Labs cellular sensors require the 3G network to communicate with the AlertAQ™ platform. As the 3G networks are decommissioned, those sensors will no longer be able to establish a connection and go offline.
We expect Alert Labs 3G sensors to stop communicating in Q1 2027, though some locations may be affected sooner, depending on the coverage in your service area.
How to identify and replace 3G sensors
Registering a 3G Sensor After 2025
Registering a 3G Sensor After 2025
If you're trying to onboard a 3G sensor after 2025, you'll receive a pop-up warning when you register it in AlertAQ™. You can use it until the network support runs out, but we do recommend replacing it as soon as possible.
Reach out to your Sales Rep or the Support Team to get started.
Already Registered Sensors
Already Registered Sensors
How do I know what sensors need to be replaced?
Within AlertAQ™, navigate to the Sensors page and type "RMA" into the search bar to filter your list to sensors that need to be replaced. They will also be flagged with a yellow caution icon.
When the Sensor Details panel is open, there will be a banner at the top.
Order new Sensors
We strongly recommend replacing your 3G sensors as soon as possible.
In 2025, owners and billing contacts of registered sensors with active subscriptions received an email with an Access code to place an order at alertlabs.com/order.
See our step-by-step guide about placing your order here: Help article.
New sensor or reactivating one that hasn't been used in a while? See above.
If you need anything else, contact Alert Labs Support.
Sensor Swap Tool
We've created a workflow within AlertAQ™ to make replacing your sensors as seamless as possible.
Once you have received your new sensors, follow the Sensor Replacement Workflow.
IMPORTANT:
The Replacement Process is the quickest, easiest, and safest way to exchange your sensors. Following the replacement flow makes sure that your subscription and data are transferred, any special settings and pairings are preserved, and that the original sensor is deactivated and removed from the account.
Troubleshooting
If your 3G sensor drops offline before you've had the chance to upgrade to a new sensor, here are a few things to try to get it back online in the meantime:
Move the sensor to a new area with better cellular reception: a floor up, near a window or building perimeter. If the networks retire your preferred tower, there may be other options available. Improve your sensors odds of finding them by taking it to a better area. If it's a Flowie, you'll need to return it to the water meter once a connection is reestablished. If it's a Sensor Relay, consider whether you can leave it in the new location for a better connection.
Reset the the sensor by inserting a straightened paper clip (or similar object) into the pinhole reset button located near the power plug. The reset will trigger your sensor to search for a new connection.