Customers with older phones may find themselves left without mobile data soon as Vodafone has begun to phase out 3G, with other providers due to follow suit in the coming months and years.
If you rely on 3G or 2G networks for internet use, it’s important to be aware of these upcoming changes so you can consider making the switch to a new handset.
Here’s our rundown of which providers and which areas are affected by these changes, and what you should do if you’re worried about losing access.
Why are companies getting rid of these networks?
UK mobile providers currently use four different “generations” of technology to support their mobile networks: 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G.
While the older 2G and 3G technologies are currently still mostly supported, they are on a timeline to be phased out in order to make space for 4G and 5G, which are generally faster and more reliable. Ofcom has said that switching off the older networks will free up the capacity to expand and improve 4G and 5G coverage.
The government has agreed with mobile network operators that 3G – originally introduced in 2001 – will be phased out across all networks and locations in the UK by 2025, and 2G will be gone by 2033. Similar changes are taking place across the world, with different countries on different schedules.
Which companies are getting rid of 3G and 2G?
All mobile providers will stop supporting these technologies eventually – it’s just a matter of when. Your provider should contact you to let you know if and when you’ll be affected.
Vodafone is the first major provider to have already begun switching off 3G in parts of the country, having turned it off fully in Plymouth and Basingstoke in February 2023, and then in Hull, Oxford and Greater London in June 2023. They have confirmed that they will complete the switch-off across the country by early 2024, though they have yet to confirm when they will start phasing out 2G.
Bear in mind that providers that “piggyback” off other networks will be affected by the same timelines. Firms that piggyback off Vodafone, for example, include Asda Mobile, Lebara, TalkMobile and Voxi, so you’ll already be without 3G if you use one of these and live in one of the five areas listed above.
EE has confirmed that 3G will be fully phased out by early 2024, with 2G to follow later this decade. Providers that piggyback off EE include BT Mobile, Plusnet, Mobile, Utility Warehouse and Lycamobile.
Three has said that 3G will be gone by the end of 2024, and already doesn’t use 2G on its network. Three’s piggybackers include iD Mobile and Smarty.
O2 is the last provider to phase out 3G, and will begin switching it off in 2025, while 2G will be switched off by 2033, though they have not said exactly when. O2’s piggybackers include Virgin Mobile, Giffgaff, Tesco Mobile and Sky Mobile.
What will happen to my phone when 3G is switched off?
If you are on a phone that uses only 3G and 2G, the 3G switch-offs mean that you will lose the ability to make texts and calls or access the internet on this network. You will still be able to do all of these tasks on 2G until it is phased out too, but bear in mind that the speed of texting and internet browsing will be much slower and calls may be lower quality.
When you are connected to a local Wifi router on your phone, you should be able to continue to be able to make calls and texts or browse the internet this way, but losing access to 3G and 2G will make it much more inconvenient to use your phone while out and about.
If you want to learn more about the difference between using the internet on these mobile networks and regular Wifi access, our article How much mobile phone data do I need? goes into more detail and can help you figure out how much data you might need each month.
How can I check which technology my phone uses?
Most newer handsets are likely to support either 4G or 5G networks, so you may have nothing to worry about. If you have an older phone, however, which is perhaps several years old, it may be worth checking which networks it has enabled if you are unsure.
The easiest way of doing so is to check in your phone settings – it should be in a section called “Mobile Data”, “Mobile Network” or “Network Settings”, though it will depend on what phone you have. Check and see which networks are listed – if 4G and 5G aren’t there, your phone probably doesn’t use them.
You can also check in your phone’s user manual or by searching the model online if you want to make sure.
Many basic phones run on 2G or 3G, so it’s possible you’ll be affected by the changes if you have one of these simplified models. Basic phones are increasingly beginning to support 4G, however, so you’re not completely out of luck if you prefer to stick with a basic model.
What should I do to avoid losing internet access?
If your phone doesn’t have 4G then you’ll have to get a new handset in order to keep using mobile data once 2G and 3G are phased out. Unfortunately, it’s not enough just to buy a new SIM card that’s 4G-capable – both the SIM card and the phone itself need to support a network in order for you to use it.
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