Three UK Provide Brief Progress Update on 3G Mobile Switch Off
Mobile operator Three UK, which was previously aiming to complete the process of switching off their old 3G (mobile broadband) network by the end of 2024 (here), has told ISPreview today that the “vast majority” of their 3G sites were switched off in September 2024. But a “small number” of sites are still live to avoid customers losing service.
As part of the process, most mobile operators have generally been compensating for the 3G switch-off in some areas by introducing upgrades to newer 4G and 5G services. The removal of 3G also freed up some radio spectrum that can be re-farmed for use by modern services, which could boost network performance and coverage. On top of that, operators will benefit from some big cost and energy savings due to not having to cater for the old network.
However, despite now passing the end of 2024, Three UK has yet to announce the full completion of their 3G switch-off programme and some of ISPreview’s readers have found that they still have 3G sites live in various locations (in some cases we’ve also seen evidence of 3G sites being switched off and then switched back on again a few weeks/months later).
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A Three UK spokesperson told ISPreview:
“The vast majority of our 3G sites were switched off in September 2024, and as a precautionary measure there were a small number of 3G sites remaining. Our priority is to ensure that no customers lose service, these remaining sites will be prioritised for upgrading before we remove 3G.”
In fairness, Vodafone’s own 3G switch-off programme similarly left a “small number of locations” live with the service after they confirmed completion of their own switch-off programme in February 2024 (here), and much like Three UK they also didn’t clarify precisely how many sites or premises were still covered by the old service – or when these would be closed.
However, it is entirely sensible for a mobile operator to ensure, in a situation where the switch-off may do more harm than good, that they delay the process until local 4G/5G services can be improved first. The fact that Three UK are in the process of being merged into Vodafone may be an additional factor, since that could delay things by opening up previously unavailable network solutions, albeit after the merger completes.
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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3G switched off are making things lot worse in TF7, TF6 and TF1. Awful, just awful.
When I read about threes big switch off it gave me massive hope they were going to upgrade my services in advance of the deadline, instead they have either made the situation worse or brought back the 3G which doesn’t work as well as it previously did either… Three have disappointed me because when you promise a switch off you imply that your gonna keep a stable newer generation network not leave us with nothing (Scottish highlands, btw)
I’m impressed to hear there’s locations in the Scottish Highlands with Three 3G coverage, but not LTE coverage – I thought they had long surpassed their rather lacklustre 3G footprint in Scotland.
Three has a lot more sites active though. Not sure if it still is the case, but back in November, I had about 5 different sites in my city alone on the travelling down on the A40.
I’m still fairly sure there’s some places here where it’s active when it doesn’t need to be.
Ulverston Cumbria is a town where only 3G is available on 3, I’ve never had 4G before
Ulverston is hit and miss but there is 4G and 5G just the 5G tends to be worse than the 4G and struggles to give a consistent connection.
But it’s slightly strange as along the road in barrow and the main road in between Ulverston and Barrow I get really good 5G.
It just seems Ulverston is suffering from the not in my back yard people because delivering around Cumbria and Lancaster Ulverston is one of the very few places I struggle on 3.
Using a Galaxy S24 Ultra but it shouldn’t make a massive difference.
Switched Off 18th September 2024.
Toilets Yankees Slaves
Going by the map of active three 3G masts I wouldn’t class it as a small number
You so right, Three have been sooooo busy turning 3G sites off around the country (for the greater good of everyone hahaha) that they haven’t had time to update the coverage maps which as we know – NEVER LIE.
I also wouldn’t class it as a small number. My car even connected to a “Edge / E” signal yesterday in Milton Keynes, suspicions as to who that could possibly be on a postcard please.
There is still 3g where I live but my phone and router never connect to it. There is a great 4g signal.
Just 4 miles away at the other side of town the 3g is turned off. This caused problems for a couple of folk I know who had early 4g phones without VoLTE and suddenly lost the ability to make calls and needed to purchase new phones.
My friend in Birmingham still has no 5G available in B40 and still receiving 3G/4G at incredibly slow speeds. I’m in B27 and get good 5G and 3G has been switched off here.
Are they going to rebrand as 4UK or 5UK before becoming Vf?
Just curious, why would they need to rebrand? They are called 3 not 3G
Still 3UK 3G in the route Staines to Windsor. Don’t really know what has been turned off
Three is still a growing network coming out many years after Cellnet, Orange, T mobile and Vodafone in the 90s. For the sturcture of Three’s network, their 3G isn’t meant to be switched off. Sure, switch them all off on their 4G masts but I can see their pain in forcing themselves to upgrade the following 3000 3G masts knowing they can’t just decomm a large amount of sites. Their pressure will ease once the national roaming agreement with VF has been formed but then there are still many more 3G sites to go. Three simply isn’t meant for having their 3G switched off with a short deadline whilst bragging about it on their webpages. Three should guide non voLTE customers towards a compatable phone, pull the plug on 3G entirely but only on their 4G sites and then gradually transition 3G-only sites to the latest generation without a set deadline and online bragging as that will just cause problems. The only customers that should be aware in this scenario are those specific non voLTE affected.
Jay, you suggest a very good strategy. I hope people in 3 and O2 are listening 🙂
Thats seems like common sense to me… unfortunately the guys in charge/ most people dont have common sense. Hence we see what we see everywhere.