Opensignal Reveal Impact of 3G Shut Down by EE, Three UK and Vodafone
Internet benchmarking firm Opensignal has used their crowdsource data, which is collected via users of their benchmarking apps and services, to reveal a bit more information about how the recent 3G mobile switch-off on EE (BT), Three UK (ongoing) and Vodafone has impacted the availability of their remaining 2G, 4G and 5G based mobile / broadband services.
Just to recap. Both EE (BT) and Vodafone completed their shutdown of older 3G services in February 2024 (here and here), while Three UK are aiming to complete their own process by the end of this year (here). By comparison, O2 (Virgin Media) are planning to both start and complete this process by the end of 2025 (here).
Mobile operators have generally been compensating for the 3G switch-off in some areas by introducing upgrades to newer 4G and 5G services (example). The removal of 3G is also expected to significantly reduce each operator’s energy usage and free up some radio spectrum to be re-farmed for use by modern services, which could boost their network performance and coverage.
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In fact, we’ve already seen some data from Streetwave, which claims to have identified improvements in mobile broadband performance after 3G was switched off by Vodafone and Three UK in certain areas (here and here). But it’s still early days, and the results for network coverage seem to be a bit more variable.
The latest data from Opensignal provides some extra context for this change, albeit with a focus more on the change in network availability and the time that UK users now spend on 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G. For example, Vodafone users were found to have seen a “significant dip in Availability” (i.e. the percentage of time users spend with a mobile broadband connection — either 3G, 4G or 5G) and an “increase in Time on 2G” after the switch-off, which will need to change before 2G reaches its own shutdown (i.e. 4G and 5G will then become the primary methods).
However, the data also shows that Vodafone “turned off 3G relatively abruptly” compared to Three UK, and began the process with a much higher Time on 3G than EE. But take note that Three UK never had its own 2G network, and EE had the advantage of starting from a much better position than Vodafone in terms of time on 3G.
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The report also notes that the European region is at the forefront of this transition with over half (52.6%) of global 2G and 3G switch-offs either completed, planned, or in progress. On average, European smartphone users were found to spend 5.5% of their time on 2G or 3G (3.9% for just 3G), which drops to 4.2% for the UK (Moldova tops the table with 18.9%, while Norway sits at the bottom with just 0.8%).
In the race to move away from legacy mobile technologies, the Nordic countries are currently in the lead.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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O2 users spending 8% of the time on 3G in 2024? That’s a painful position to be starting a 3G shutdown from.
EE data reflects my personal experience. I basically never ever saw 3G before the shutdown in central Scotland, so no negative impact from the shutdown
Maybe there’s more people (werido’s) like me, I set my smartphone to camp on 3G. Less users on it and it’s fast enough for my needs!
I’ve set my phone to sit on 3G as well. Where I am, the 4G signal is weak, meaning my phone will need to use more battery power to connect to it. On 3G, I get full bars and – as the other comment said – the speed is enough for me.
The report matches my real life experience of being stuck on Edge in many parts of West London, and miles and miles of motorway to the North (M40, M62, M6 Toll) Vodafone clearly have already factored in Three masts making up for their shortcomings. The network has been getting steadily worse over the past few years with no improvement. 3G switch off has made it even worse.
It’s weird because my phone connects to 5G nearly everywhere there is a Vodafone signal, apart from Norfolk… Where there was barely anything.
… I wonder if the statistics took in to account people are more or less likely to have a non 5G handset on particular networks, given the typical demographic of their userbase. Hmm. I suspect they didn’t.
It seems I am spending less time on 2G now on Vodafone, but I wish providers had done more planning before switching 3G off so you held on to 4G unless it was really poor…
EE have done exactly that since many years – they’ve used aggressive 4G-return idle parameters for as long as I can remember.
The stats for Vodafone match my own experience in NE Scotland.
I rarely saw 2G before VF switched 3G off, but now it’s a regular occurrence.
There have been zero improvements to 4G coverage or capacity to compensate and they still don’t have 5G in my area despite all other networks having already rolled it out to some degree
Likewise, I’m in Aberdeenshire and did consider moving back to Vodafone when my EE contract was up earlier in the year. Ran it dual-SIM for a month and found the experience appalling compared to when I’d previously used Vodafone (when I was positively impressed at the coverage compared with Three). Rural coverage around here did mostly seem to be 3G on Vodafone, but it was fast enough. When I tested it this year, instead of 3G, I got EDGE or nothing. There’s certainly no sign that 4G has been expanded to replace 3G on Vodafone round here.
After that I discovered 1p Mobile and have been quite content with the EE network at reasonable prices! And my phone suggests I’m on 5G even in many of the more rural areas nearby.
For me personally Vodafone have got worse since the 3G switch off I spend most time on EDGE 2G then even when in urban areas.
For me 5G should of never been rolled out should of been left at 4G and make sure they just improve that to 100% coverage. These companies keep rolling out all this technology but they can’t get the previous technologies right 1st
Impossible to get 100% coverage for the UK as a lot of planning applications by the operators get rejected by a mix of NIMBY residents, councils who are anti infrastructure eg against new mobile phone masts and planning laws.
Also a lot of residents against such improvements actually believe discredited conspiracy theories that 5G spreads COVID-19 etc which is why they’re against any new mobile phone mast even if it’s not offering 5G.
You’re simply asking for the impossible.
Suggesting that providers should have been prevented from rolling out 5G is why governments should have no say in the implementation of commercial wireless services.
The conspiracy theories that 5G spreads COVID-19 are fully discredited since virus behaviours and the operation of the immune system are completely unrelated to radio frequency signals, in Tunbridge Wells or any other place. For example the Towers installed next to Pembury Hospital would never have been approved if they impacted health or the equipment used in a Hospital.
Interesting to know what Vodafone’s plans were here – they used to be a technically good network with prices towards the top end, now they seem happy to let the network stagnate while still being reasonably expensive. Have they just been sitting back for the past few years hoping they’d eventually get the Three merger to happen?
I have 3 and Voda sims in my phone currently. The Vodafone one is always dropping to Edge now due to the 3G shutdown even in populated areas. Not looking forward to the merger at all
The first thing they will likely do after the merger is allow Three and Vodafone customers to roam on each others networks for free. Eventually they will merge them or course. You won’t need two sims then.
When the phone spends some h time on 3G and 2G if this is removed, will operators reverse the price increase in April for those users? Their argument for increased prices is people are using more data, well if their connection method is switched off surely they’ll use less. Ergo due a price discount.
I live west of the M25 and travel around that area a lot.
I use Three right now but have used all the networks over the last 10 years.
Three are easily the worst, then O2. Often you have 4G but no data, other times no signal at all. Go in a building and it’s 10x worse. I just don’t get how they can come out top.
I agree
If 4G or 5G Isn’t available on my iPhone 14 Pro will just go to no service or 2G on EE which is rare because live in Leamington Spa and It’s pretty good coverage on EE