UK prepares to wave goodbye to 3G telecoms as tri-hard tech retires
- Reference: 1766147291
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/12/19/uk_prepares_to_wave_goodbye/
- Source link:
The operator says that its rivals have completed their switch-offs and now the firm is set to complete its own program "in the coming weeks" following a series of successful pilots throughout 2025.
The sale of 3G licences at the turn of the century cost UK operators billions and the technology never really lived up to its hype ...
VMO2's telecoms turn-off [1]started with the city of Durham in northeast England back in April, and saw it withdrawing 3G services in Scotland from early November.
Customers who haven't upgraded to a 4G or 5G device before 3G is switched off in their area will still be able to make calls and send text messages, the company says, but they won't be able to access mobile data. That would mean they won't be able to use websites and many phone apps will no longer function.
The same applies to subscribers of mobile providers that use VMO2 to deliver their services, such as Giffgaff, Tesco Mobile and Sky Mobile.
[2]
As we have noted previously, this all stems from plans [3]announced in 2021 by the previous UK government for all 2G and 3G mobile networks to be phased out of use by 2033.
[4]
[5]
BT/EE completed its switch-off in early 2024, as did Vodafone, while Three was understood to have concluded its process by November of last year, although there were reports of a [6]small number of sites still providing a 3G service into 2025 , to "avoid customers losing service."
The same may happen with VMO2, according to the firm's chief technology officer, Jeanie York.
[7]
"Our 3G network has already been withdrawn across many UK locations, with the final areas set to follow shortly. You may still see a 3G signal in some places for a short period in early 2026, but the network will soon be switched off entirely, so I'd like to take this opportunity to urge anybody who is still using a 3G-only handset to please visit your local store, or call us, to upgrade as soon as possible," she stated.
We're well aware that when we have written about the 3G switch-off in the past, some readers complained that 3G was the only service they could reliably get in their area. Presumably, these are the areas where "you may still see a 3G signal for a short period."
The government has been pushing the network companies to hit 95 percent coverage of the country by the end of this year, although there [8]were doubts that this target would be reached . BT claims it expects to have a 5G Standalone (5G SA) mobile service [9]available to 99 percent of the population by the end of the decade.
[10]
"This is a necessary move for the industry; 3G carries only a tiny fraction of all mobile data and reallocating spectrum to 4G and 5G networks will give more people a better overall smartphone experience," said Kester Mann, director of Consumer and Connectivity at CCS Insight.
Turning off 3G marks the end of an era. It was the first mobile technology able to offer a reasonable experience for mobile browsing when it arrived in the UK in March 2003. Before that, phone users had to rely on something called [11]Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), which the mere mention of will bring a shudder to those old enough to remember it.
[12]Introducing NTFSplus – because just one NTFS driver for Linux is never enough
[13]UK unveils plans to 'transform' the consumer smart meter experience
[14]London is bottom in Europe for 5G, while Europe lags the rest of the world
[15]Telco to open lab to test cell network interoperability with satellites
However, 3G also had something of a shaky start in the UK. Network operators [16]bid billions of pounds for their 3G licenses in a government auction, which left them cash-strapped when it came to actually building anything. The initial rollout was plagued with problems, and the first operator, Three, failed to make a profit for several years after its launch.
"Not everyone will mourn its closing," said Mann. "The sale of 3G licences at the turn of the century cost UK operators billions and the technology never really lived up to its hype. Its successor, 4G, was credited with supporting many of the uses of today's smartphones," he added.
Paolo Pescatore, analyst and founder at PP Foresight, was even more scathing.
"Amen to 3G, one of the most overhyped network technologies with unmet expectations, inflated spectrum auctions, complex, slow network build and a terrible user experience," he commented.
"Transitioning to 4G and 5G has not been easy due to the need to support legacy M2M and IoT devices. Looking back, hindsight is a wonderful thing; 4G addressed the shortcomings of 3G." ®
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[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/20/vmo2_3g_switch_off/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aUWEqFep7AKPD7pP5geXsAAAABI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2021/12/08/2g_3g_2033_switchoff/
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aUWEqFep7AKPD7pP5geXsAAAABI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aUWEqFep7AKPD7pP5geXsAAAABI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2025/01/three-uk-provide-brief-progress-update-on-3g-mobile-switch-off.html
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aUWEqFep7AKPD7pP5geXsAAAABI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/03/uk_may_not_hit_goal/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/02/bt_5g_standalone_2030/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aUWEqFep7AKPD7pP5geXsAAAABI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2011/01/12/bbc_wml/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/21/ntfsplus_new_rw_driver/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/09/smart_meter_policy/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/25/london_is_bottom_in_europe_5g/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2025/02/19/vodafone_satellite_lab_spain/
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2000/07/18/3g_gets_even_more_expensive/
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: End Of An Era?? Really??
Apparently my brand new model CPAP machine is using 2G on Vodafone. As for the smart meters, utter screw up.
Re: End Of An Era?? Really??
IMHO it's the only decision the smart meter brigade ever got right.
2G reaches the parts that shorter wavelengths can't.
Re: End Of An Era?? Really??
You can transmit 4G and 5G at those same frequencies. T-Mobile in the US transmit 4G on 600MHz for example.
Re: End Of An Era?? Really??
Not just Smart Meters, but many traffic light controllers use 3G or 2G to communicate with the Urban Traffic Control centre.
They won't "stop working" without signal of course, but they will be poorly optimised and out of sync with other junctions, won't give priority to ambulances & fire engines, etc.
Re: End Of An Era?? Really??
Since traffic lights increase both journey times, wear on road surfaces, and pollution, anything which mars their operation has to be a good thing for the planet. Hurrah.
Re: End Of An Era?? Really??
One man's screw up is another man's yacht.
Soooo...
Does this mean when I have a full 5G signal in a busy area, it will finally become usable?
I won't hold my breath.
WAP did its job at the time
"It was the first mobile technology able to offer a reasonable experience for mobile browsing when it arrived in the UK in March 2003. Before that, phone users had to rely on something called Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), which the mere mention of will bring a shudder to those old enough to remember it."
You're shuddering at the thought of WAP rather than shuddering at the thought of GPRS ("2G+")? At the time WAP over GDPR provided a faster method to browse compared with using GPRS natively.
I don't shudder at the thought of WAP, it provided a (relatively) better way to browse at the time. Obviously the introduction of 3G with its greatly increased bandwidth changed things and made native HTTP/HTTPS browsing feasible.
Also WAP is still around even today as MMS (Picture Messaging) makes use of it, at the very least using WAP Push to notify the recipient's device of new MMS messages.
Re: WAP did its job at the time
In 2025 WAP never sounds like it used to. Just sayin'
Re: WAP did its job at the time
Nonono, before 3G, you had to use WAP... an IP connection GPRS then EDGE never happened, the iphone roll out in the UK wasn't delayed while O2 got EDGE running... etc. etc.. ;)
Re: WAP did its job at the time
is "WAP over GDPR" a privacy-preserving way of browsing?
Just wait for the cries...
Why won't my phone work?
There are large parts of West Wales where 3G is often 1bar (if lucky). 4G? Unicorn Tech and 5G? Hogwarts potion land.
If they are really going to switch off 3G in that part of the world, I hope the execs of the phone company never venture there on holiday. The Welsh Dragon will rise up.
Meh
I can count the times i use 4g data in a week and i never used any 'data' on 2G/3G.
Most people using 3G will not notie the difference until its off.
My daily it's a 2G Nokia and it'r reliable around the world, try to make a call with VoLTE in a different country... either as an excuse to sell more phones or because of shitty design it might work or not.
If the switch off for a certain network isn't already decided is reasonable to pick a technology that works with minimum fuss when you ar ebuilding devices that must work once they are out of the door.
"4G addressed the shortcomings of 3G"
And somehow added new shortcomings of its own such as roaming on 4G is less reliable than on 3G and maybe emergency calls don't work when they should. And the workaround was... drop down to 3G with all its shortcomings that now won't be there.
Maybe 6G...
"4G addressed the shortcomings of 3G"
A perfectly serviceable 4G phone - data, SMS, voice - on 3G go enough bandwidth to run a single ROKU box.
Change to 4G. Data and SMS still OK but NO voice. Surely not beyond the boffins of wireless? More evidence that wireless networks are run for the benefit of carriers, not users.
Re: "4G addressed the shortcomings of 3G"
"Change to 4G. Data and SMS still OK but NO voice"
Once you get to '4G', it's all IP/Packet switched, not the 'circuit switched' technology used in 2g,eg and the PSTN/ISDN of old. 4g voice calls require a feature known as VOLTE ('Voice Over LTE').
If one's handset doesn't support VOLTE, it will (probably) try falling back onto circuit switched 3g or 2g for voice calls.
Once 3g is turned off (like is has been for most of us for a while now), it is quite possible for 'data' services to be working fine (remaining on 4g), but 'voice' won't work as neither the required VOLTE mechanism or a circuit-switched alternative is available.
Older handsets don't support VOLTE...check yours does!:-)
Motorola 3B BaseStations
My claim to fame is I helped design the first 3G BaseStation made my Motorola in Swindon. A lot of the Electronic Boards were retro fitted into the existing 2G cabinets which had 5V and +/- 12V power systems. We had onboard switching regulators to power the 1.8/3.3V Chips. The Radios were a new formfactor as they did not have a backplane in the cabinets. I also got a nice new Motorola Startac Phone to play with.
Re: Motorola 3B BaseStations
Given todays technology, and the prolification of SDR, would it not be possible for every 5G base station (or 4G for that matter) to implement 2G in software, just to ensure continuity of service ?
There's a lot of history rewriting in the article. We all hate all the mobile technologies as they are all overhyped. 3G got an awful lot of people into using their phones as their primary internet access device. Couldn't really do that with WAP or whatever there was before 3G. The phone companies have made their money back from the auctions, took them a bit longer than what the execs wanted, but none of them starved.
End Of An Era?? Really??
But, thanks to the "smart meter" screw up, 2G (Yup.....that's right...2G) will be available after 2030!!
So....my £25 Chinese feature phone has another five years to go!