Does The New Nokia 3310 Work In The United States?

The official announcement of the Nokia 3310's return has every '90s kid's heart aflutter — but we almost as quickly learned that there might be a catch based on the network it uses and where that network runs. Does the new Nokia 3310 work in the United States? Bustle has reached out to HMD Global (the Finnish company that builds Nokia phones) for comment and will update if/when we hear back. In the meantime, here's what we know.

First, a little history lesson. You know how network names tend to consist of a number and the letter G? The G stands for "Generation." 1G was obviously the first generation of mobile technology; during this time, making phone calls was your only option. When 2G came around, we got a few added features, like simple texting. 3G was the game-changer — the generation that set the standard for a lot of the technology we're familiar with today. It brought capabilities like internet surfing, emailing, and downloading videos. 4G is faster and more efficient, and in the future, we've got 5G coming up. My sense is that 5G technology, which is supposedly being released in 2020 at the latest, will basically make your brain explode with everything it can do.

Now, what does this have to do with our beloved Nokia? The Nokia new 3310 runs on a 2G network. However, depending on the carrier, the United States and Canada most frequently run on a 4G or 4G+ network. (You can check out this handy interactive map, which shows you what networks different carriers are using across the world.)

It's not just us, either. According to Independent, this Nokia will still use 900 MHz and 1800 MHz — the same frequencies it always used, even back when the original version was first released in 2000. Those frequencies are, in fact, being shut off around much of the globe. Across North, Central, and South America, we're using mostly 850 and 1900 MHz — frequencies that the Nokia 3310 can't connect to. And if your phone can't connect to a network, you can't use it. This could very well mean that even if you get your hands on a Nokia 3310, at most, all you might be able to do is sit and stare at its eternal beauty (which is still very exciting in and of itself).

While the return of the Nokia 3310 is music to our ears, it looks like the days of sneaking texts to our besties in class before tossing the sturdy, brick-like device in our lockers might very well be over. Rest peacefully, 3310. We had something special.

Images: Getty Images; Giphy