CDMA Network Retirement (now extended to end o 2020)
"As we complete our network transition to 4G and 5G, we at Verizon would like to keep you up to date with some important activities.
We are moving all devices to our HD Voice LTE network, which offers superior coverage and performance compared to previous generation networks. Starting January 1, 2020, Verizon will no longer allow any CDMA (3G and 4G Non-HD Voice) 'Like-for-Like' device changes.
Additional changes include but are not limited to:
Starting 1/1/2020:
No Longer Allowed:
Transfer of Service, moving from one account to another account
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), providing a CDMA device to activate on an existing line
Swapping one CDMA device for another CDMA device
Roaming outside of the US
https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/knowledge-base-218813/This hurts all of us in the western US, where CDMA/Verizin is the only thing that works in mountainous areas.
If you just need to contact your neighbors and you are pretty close, you can use a Go-tenna setup for making a text network over low power radio.
If you have good internet, you can set up a VoIP setup.
https://www.lifewire.com/free-sip-softphone-apps-34266735G has VERY limited range, and line of sight basically. In town, they are planning on making ALL routers open as wi-fi repeaters to make up for it, in the mountains, you will basically be losing fone service.
If you are going to add an CDMA/verizon fone before the deadline, make SURE it handles "digital voice" "LTE+" or HDvoice". All others won't work once they go to the new LTE platform.
I would be tempted to buy an el-cheapo , chinese, dual-sim card fone now (huewei?), activate it, and order another sim to use with the VoIP apps listed above.
I did get a Samsung J Luna Sky Pro, (in CDMA and LTE) which said it had HDvoice, but when received, it had no settings for that , just a "stereo voice" feature, which some say still counts. (tracfone)
If comms is important to you, you may want to get a teen to help you figure out what to do soon, before you can't add a new CDMA fone in your area.
for real tech and answers, you need to work the Howard Forums, where the techs hang out.