Sometimes 3G Mobile Broadband in the UK is Faster than 4G

Crowdsourced data analysis firm Tutela has noted that older 3G based mobile networks may not make the most efficient use of radio spectrum, although their data shows that there are still plenty of occasions where they can still end up delivering faster internet speeds than superior 4G networks.

As report last year, some mobile operators (e.g. Vodafone) have openly talked about the possibility of “switching off 3G” services within the 2-3 years and repurposing their radio spectrum for use by 4G or even the latest 5G networks (here). This makes sense because 3G networks do not make the most efficient use of the valuable spectrum they occupy and aren’t as constrained by legacy attachments like 2G.

However, Tutela argues that 3G networks from EE (BT), O2, Three UK and Vodafone are “far from useless for UK consumers” and in some cases they can even be faster than 4G. The operator highlighted this by using their data to create a map of the United Kingdom.

On this map the green hexagons represent areas where an operator’s 4G network is at least 10Mbps faster (on average) than the 3G network. Conversely, the red areas are those where the 3G network is at least as fast, if not faster than, the 4G network.

The results reveal that “significantly more areas” have a faster 3G network during on-peak times, when the 4G network is most heavily loaded. The reason for this is that modern Smartphones default to 4G over 3G when they can find a signal (i.e. assuming it will always be faster), which sometimes means that you end up in a situation where a congest 4G network may actually be slower than 3G.

In short, if 4G is terrible then don’t be afraid to try manually switching to 3G, just to see if it’s any better (most phones have the ability to enable 3G-only connections in their settings). You’re most likely to see a benefit in heavily congested 4G areas, such as busy shopping or transport hubs during peak periods (e.g. London Waterloo Station).

“Obviously, this doesn’t mean that operators should rush out to expand their 3G networks – if anything, it demonstrates the need for 4G and 5G deployments to increase capacity! However, it does show that when looking at 3G sunsetting and spectrum refarming, operators should carefully consider the current network performance and what impact network upgrades and redeployments will have on their end users,” said Tutela.