And here I'm going to point out your own logic re: Occams razor and the simplest answer usually being the correct one.
Hilight that word usually because it's not always true.
But it generally is. And in this case definitely.
Really what’s more likely:
Verizon, T-Mobile, et al being involved in some massive government conspiracy to get the last remaining hold outs to get always “on” cellphones so they can be tracked, and yet somehow none of the THOUSANDS of people who would have to be involved in this have written a tell all website
OR
Verizon, T-Mobile, et al being tired of the upkeep cost of an antique network only being used by customers on cheap plans who haven’t upgraded their phone in a decade
?
And before you answer that keep in mind that there is an established history of cell companies deciding some customers just aren’t worth the trouble:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2007/07/10/sprint-nextel-defends-decision-to-drop-high-maintenance-customers/
The facts are obvious. It’s better for the companies to convert those towers to 5G and drop 3G. Anybody who can’t see that is not looking. And anybody that thinks it’s actually some massive conspiracy is an idiot.