The mobile operator has announced it will start by switching off its 3G network in the Plymouth and Basingstoke areas at the same time as regulator Ofcom set out what it expects from mobile providers when they switch off their 2G and 3G networks.
The switch-off will happen over the next ten years and support the roll-out of 4G and 5G networks. MNOs will set their own timeline for turning off 3G connections with EE and Three following Vodafone’s lead by announcing they will aim to switch users off the network by the end of 2024.
As the signal is turned off, phone users will be automatically switched to 2G, which is being kept online as a backup - so users without a strong 4G or 5G connection will still be able to send texts and make calls but no longer be able to browse websites, send emails or stream music.
While 3G offers a maximum of around 3Mbps download speeds, 4G can reach 50Mbps and 5G is even quicker with it capable of offering 300Mbps. The next generation of technology, 5G mmWave with tests revealing it can reach 2Gbps speeds, and handle more devices connected to it at the same time in high density venues.
According to recent research from Uswitch, one in four mobile users said they use 3G regularly while 7% said it’s the only network they can access. Based on this, regulator Ofcom has set four “expectations” it would like the four UK MNOs to follow during the process.
These cover contractual information, customer communication and minimising coverage impact. For this aspect, EE, Three and Vodafone have committed to offering an equivalent level of coverage after the 3G and subsequent 2G switch-off, with areas currently reliant on these networks being upgraded to 4G ahead of switch-off.
Speaking about the changes, a spokesperson for Vodafone said: "Here at Vodafone, we’ll be switching off our 3G network by December 2023, so that we can focus on strengthening our 4G and 5G networks. We’ll start by switching off our 3G network in the Plymouth and Basingstoke areas in February 2023."
The final aspect that Ofcom wants MNOs to cover is to support other services that rely on mobile networks including telecare alarms and payment terminals with operators tasked with “helping to raise awareness so that relevant suppliers have sufficient time to update their devices and consumers do not lose access to vital services”.
Selina Chadha, Ofcom’s director of connectivity, said: “In the next few years, older mobile networks will gradually be switched-off to make way for faster, more reliable services. But some people will need help upgrading their devices during this process. So we’ve told mobile networks what they should do to make sure support is available to those who need it.”
