Shut off 3G by 2033? How about 2023, asks Vodafone UK
- Reference: 1643121966
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/01/25/shutoff_3g_by_2033_vodafone/
- Source link:
The move follows [1]proposals by the UK government late last year to see 2G and 3G networks phased out by 2033. Other networks have already confirmed plans to start early, with [2]BT phasing out 3G services for EE, Plusnet and BT Mobile subscribers from 2023.
Vodafone said it will begin [3]retiring its 3G network in 2023 as part of a network modernisation programme.
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The plan will see 3G coverage gradually phased out and replaced by strengthened 4G and 5G services, which Vodafone said will allow customers across the UK to access more reliable connectivity.
[5]
[6]
A Vodafone spokesperson told The Register this will be a gradual process that is likely to start with areas where there is the least 3G traffic, which in practice means cities that are already well-served by 4G and 5G coverage.
"We can't confirm exact timeframes for the switch off at this stage as it's dependent on a few factors, but Vodafone would anticipate most (if not all) of its 3G service being retired in 2023," the spokesperson said.
[7]
The company claims less than 4 per cent of all the data traffic on Vodafone's entire network is now carried by 3G services, compared with more than 30 per cent in 2016.
However, rural areas are typically less blessed with coverage, and many subscribers there will know that 3G is often the only service available, even if your handset is capable of 4G or 5G. The modernisation programme is an opportunity for the company to address this.
Vodafone said that today's announcement is the start of a campaign to ensure customers are aware of the coming switch-off and can prepare so they, and, for example, their elderly relatives, remain connected during the changes happening next year.
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"We start communicating to customers about this today – our goal is for everyone to stay connected, and we'll be doing everything we can to make sure that's the case. During the campaign, we'll be asking customers not just to make sure that their own phone supports 4G and 4G Calling, but also to check in on friends and family," Vodafone UK CEO Ahmed Essam said in a statement.
Vodafone is working with [9]The Good Things Foundation , a charity set-up to help people to improve their lives through digital technology to ensure the campaign reaches the most vulnerable consumers.
As well as 4G and 5G services getting a coverage and speed boost from the repurposing of 3G spectrum, Vodafone claims the move will play a key part in its strategy to reach Net Zero by 2027.
Today's 5G networks are more than 10 times as energy efficient as old 3G equipment, according to Voda, with a 3G network estimated to use 110 KWh of energy to transmit a terabyte of data compared with 30 KWh for 4G and 8 KWh for 5G.
[10]BT shelves efforts to find investor to share FTTP build, says Openreach can run project alone
[11]3G ain't totally dead yet: Verizon pushes back cut-off plans to some unspecified future date
[12]Sod 3G, that can go, but don't rush to turn off 2G, UK still needs it – report
[13]BT jittery about Cellnex snapping up UK mobile tower assets
[14]2033 is doomsday for 2G and 3G in the UK
[15]European carriers push for more OpenRAN support... but it might not end in a win
This is backed up telecoms providers such as [16]Ericsson and [17]Nokia , which both claim that 5G networks are up to 90 per cent more energy efficient than even 4G networks.
Vodafone's move has garnered approval from others in the industry. Sharad Sharma, veep of Network and B2B Business at NTT Data UK, said the planned 3G network retirement would be a positive move towards more efficient 4G and 5G services.
"More efficient network services are crucial for a more sustainable future, but it's vital that customers with legacy technology are not left behind," he said. ®
Get our [18]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/12/08/2g_3g_2033_switchoff/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/15/bt_3g_shutdown/
[3] https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/3g-switch-off
[4] 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=2YfAsuUYfApU7gCz7iNr6DQAAAAM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%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=4&c=44YfAsuUYfApU7gCz7iNr6DQAAAAM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] 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=33YfAsuUYfApU7gCz7iNr6DQAAAAM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[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=44YfAsuUYfApU7gCz7iNr6DQAAAAM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] 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=33YfAsuUYfApU7gCz7iNr6DQAAAAM&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.goodthingsfoundation.org/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/04/bt_openreach_markets/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/06/3g_verizon_extension/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2019/10/18/dont_switch_off_2g_report/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/09/23/bt_concerned_about_cellnex_deal/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2021/12/08/2g_3g_2033_switchoff/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/24/openran/
[16] https://www.ericsson.com/en/blog/3/2021/1/achieving-sustainability-with-energy-efficiency-in-5g-networks
[17] https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2020/12/02/nokia-confirms-5g-as-90-percent-more-energy-efficient/
[18] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Phase out 3g
I had no signal at all at work in central London, until I upgraded to a 5G capable Pixel 6. Now I have great 5G coverage all over the building. It wasn't really a problem before because wifi and calling over wifi.
In theory, if people are using 3G inside buildings in an area, that should show up and they won't turn it off until after network upgrades have gone through to allow 4G and/or 5G use inside. And where 3G is turned off, 4G/5G can be deployed on the frequencies previously used by 3G. Signal propagation is mostly down to the frequency used, so if you have 3G now and they turn it off, but turn on 4G/5G on the same frequency you should then get 4G/5G.
Re: Phase out 3g
I agree. Until they ensure that everyone *can* get 4G+ signal everywhere, they can't really afford to cut off 2G/3G service.
I'm living just a stone's throw from California's "Silly Cone" valley where gigabit fiber & 5G is probably more prevelent than cockroaches or Starbucks, but in my "cow town", we get SFA as far as those services are concerned.
Example: I live about 1 mile from the motorway where the 4G/5G signal corridore is strongest, but sitting next to the window & my phone only reports it's got "3G/4G" (not 4GLTE nor 5G) and at a measley 2~3 bars at most.
If the carriers want to cut off the 2G/3G network, they need to make sure the infrastructure is in place to actually deliver the 4G/5G signal, otherwise merely buying a new phone won't do SFA to change the fact that there is no signal in the first place.
=-/
2G?
Interesting that there is no mention of 2G here. As I understand it, Voda are keeping that running for now. And it could serve as a fall back for all those folk with 3G (or non-VoLTE 4G) handsets. But as 2G is also for the chop by 2033, I guess they'd rather move folk to a capable handset now so the later phase can concentrate on the rather trickier M2M devices.
Re: 2G?
They'd bloody better not turn off 2G any time soon – it's all my Nokia supports (and I'm buggered if I'm getting a smartarsephone just for calls and texts). If they do, fingers crossed they'll start making old-school handsets that run on 4G.
Not only phones
A big challenge for them will be to get people and companies to replace the devices which aren't phones, such as home alarms with 3G backup, 3G-modems for monitoring remote automation systems and similar.
A challenge for *whom*?
Is that a challenge for the mobile operators, or for those with the affected kit?
Re: Not only phones
What do the smart meters use that they are still trying to shove down our throats?
Re: Not only phones
What do the smart meters use that they are still trying to shove down our throats?
The customer typing it in.
Re: Not only phones
True dat. Mine worked briefly but is now as dumb as the old one.
Re: Not only phones
it's a short range proprietary (read: terrible/insecure) protocol innit ?
Re: Not only phones
There was an article that the reason EDF are so keen to get smart meters installed is that they have a huge surplus of type 1 units that work on 2G/3G and want to get rid of them
Re: Not only phones
SMETS2 smart meters use 2G/3G. So maybe they will fall back to 2G with the 3G off. But there are going to be many installations where only 3G is available, so the meter will go dumb.
This is a problem, as future energy security is to be maintained by demand management, using dynamic pricing. Right now, it's just for electric vehicle charge points (that's why you can't have a charge point without a smart meter) but it is intended to be applied to domestic supplies too.
Replacing the communications module on dead meters is going to be expensive and slow.
DCC has a contract with Telefonica to provide 3G until 2033. I bet the Tristrams have forgotten that
Rural Areas ?
"However, rural areas are typically less blessed with coverage, and many subscribers there will know that 3G is often the only service available, even if your handset is capable of 4G or 5G. The modernisation programme is an opportunity for the company to address this."
Who wrote/researched this?
Many rural areas are lucky to have 2G (voice/text and maybe a kb/second data if the wind is right) service. 3G would be godsend. And Vodafone should know that - I ditched them 10+ years back as their 3G service barely existed outside of cities and large towns. Which was about the time they announced they had completed 3G roll out. But then, the licences issued by gov.uk only stipulated something like 90% residential area coverage was required.
Plus, If they want to force everyone to abandon old 3G phones, they also need to start selling new phones that are not based on Android or Apple, do not track and download your every move and fart, and have a HMI interface that consists of more than a stupid fondle screen.
Phase out 3g
Bloody bonkers b***rds!
Don't know about Britain, but I have expereince ina few other countries (EU and non-EU). I might have 4G outside, and downtown - inside the house or behind the second mountain range (where there are still houses, people do live there, ya ken!). I am lucky to get any signal... on both SIM cards (diffferent providers and different networks even). Yeah, unless they actually manage to roll out far better coverage in this neck of the woods (actually quite urban, commuter town, decent infrastructure) they should rather keep that older stuff running.