As part of a customer enhancement programme, we’ll begin to switch off 3G services in 2025. This follows an agreement with the Government and other mobile network operators in 2021 that 3G would be switched off in the UK by 2033 at the latest. 

This industry-wide switch off programme will enable us to focus on upgrading to faster, more reliable and energy-efficient 4G and 5G networks to improve services for you.   

Why are we switching off 3G?

3G has been superseded by 4G and 5G networks over recent years, with the 3G network carrying less and less traffic. By focusing investment on our 4G and 5G networks, we’ll be able to further expand and upgrade services, so you can benefit from faster download speeds and higher quality voice calls.  

The programme will also contribute to our ambitious sustainability goals due to 4G and 5G being significantly more energy-efficient compared to the use of older 3G equipment.  While 3G accounts for less than 4% of data used on our network, it accounts for 11% of our total energy consumption.  4G and 5G, which account for 96% of mobile network data traffic, are 10 times more efficient. 

The other UK operators have also announced plans to switch off 3G and some have already started their 3G switch off programmes.  As per our press statement released on 3 August
2023, we’ve announced that we’ll begin to switch off 3G in 2025.  This is also happening in other countries across the world – for example, 3G has already been switched off in the US. 

When will I be affected?

The 3G switch off won’t begin until 2025 so it’s important to emphasise that nothing will change for you right now. We’ll get in touch closer to the switch off date in 2025 to provide more information and let you know about any action you may need to take.  
 

How will this impact me?

For now, there’s no immediate impact.  The switch off will start in 2025 and we’ll contact you nearer the time. 

If you don't have a 4G or 5G-ready phone, you’ll need to upgrade your device if you want to continue having mobile data connectivity after the 3G network is switched off.  Our priority is to keep all customers connected. We’ll continue to keep you informed in advance of the 3G switch off in 2025. 

FAQs

I don’t have an inventory of all the business devices in my organisation. Can you help?

We have visibility of this at a technical level and your Account Manager or Service Delivery Manager will share this securely with you. 

I have 3G devices in my estate, but I don’t want expensive devices, what can I do?

Once 3G is switched off, you’ll still be able to use these devices for calls and texts, as you do now, but if you want to benefit from mobile connectivity you’ll need a 4G or 5G-ready device.

 

If your business has less than 10 employees, please call us on 0800 977 7337. We have a wide range of great-value deals to suit all budgets.

 

For 10 plus employees, we have a varied portfolio of telephony services and your Account Manager or Service Delivery Manager can guide you through the available options.  
 

I need extra support, what’s available to me?

The 3G switch off won’t begin until 2025, so nothing will change for you yet.  Our priority is to keep all customers connected and we’ll get in touch with impacted customers closer to when we begin to switch off 3G in 2025. 

 

For customers with more than 10 employees, your Account Manager or Service Delivery Manager will be in touch ahead of this time to help support you.  If you don’t have an Account or Service Delivery Manager, please chat to our Care team, who’ll be happy to help.

My business has users in rural locations, will the switch off make connectivity harder?

Providing seamless connectivity for all our customers, wherever they live or work, is our priority, and we’ve been working to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural communities over recent years.

 

For example, the Shared Rural Network (SRN) is a joint initiative between telecoms network operators and the UK government to deliver reliable 4G coverage to rural parts of the UK, with the aim of reaching 95% of the UK. We’ve already boosted 4G in numerous locations across the UK as part of our commitment to the SRN, and this will continue in the months and years ahead. 

Will shutting down 3G affect calls to the emergency services?

No.  Emergency services are a critical aspect of telecommunications infrastructure, and all network operators take necessary measures to ensure their continuity.

Will 2G be switched off as well?

There are no immediate plans to switch off 2G.  In the longer term, all mobile network operators have agreed with the UK Government to switch off 2G by 2033.  

I have Mobile Voice Recording (MVR), will this service be impacted?

No, there’ll be no impact to your Mobile Voice Recording (MVR) service.  We've been future- proofing the MVR platform to ensure compatibility with both 4G Calling and Wifi Calling.

What about my Mobile Extension (Mobex) service?

We no longer sell the Mobex service as it’s been replaced by more modern approaches to
mobile use and ways of working. We’ll continue to run and support the Mobex service until
it’s withdrawn in early 2025.


Even if your device is ready and compatible with 4G and 5G services, if you’re registered
with our Mobex service, you won’t be able to use 4G Calling or WiFi Calling.


Our Account Managers will work with you to explore alternate solutions to replace your
existing package

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