O2, Virgin, Vodafone, EE and Three customers are being warned over losing 3G services. 2G and 3G services are set to be phased out by 2033, with all of the popular networks at risk of seeing the popular service scrapped during the calendar year.
EE, Three, and Vodafone have already switched off their 3G networks entirely last year, and Virgin Media O2 is working to switch theirs off over the coming 12 months. Virgin Media O2 first announced in September 2023 that it would switch off 3G services in 2025, following the agreement between the government and all mobile operators in 2021.
Virgin Media O2’s 4G coverage already covers 99% of the population, and 5G is available to more than half of the country. Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “3G was once an exciting new development for telecoms providers that brought new opportunities for customers.
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“But as we continue to evolve our network to provide the best mobile connectivity, it is clear that switching off 3G and focusing our attention and investment on the faster, more reliable and more efficient 4G and 5G services is the right thing to do for our customers, our business and the environment.
“We will begin to switch off 3G in 2025, but between now and then, we will be communicating directly with our customers to explain what this means for them and outline any steps they should take in the next 18 months. While most customers will need to take no action at all, we are committed to supporting everyone with this necessary transition.
“As this switchover takes place, we will continue to invest heavily in maintaining, upgrading and expanding our 4G and 5G networks to ensure we’re providing the fast and reliable mobile connectivity that our customers depend on.”
To check if your phone is 4G compatible, on Android visit Settings > Connections > Mobile networks > Network mode. If you’re using a dual-Sim phone, tap the active Sim. On iPhone visit Settings > General > Cellular. On Windows phones visit Settings > Cellular + Sim > Highest connection speeds