O2 Expand UK 3G Mobile Switch Off to Norwich, Telford, Guildford and Torquay
Mobile network operator O2 (Virgin Media) has today begun to notify customers about the next batch of four UK locations to go through their 3G mobile (broadband) switch-off programme, which recently started with a pilot in Durham (here). Norwich, Telford and Guildford will be the next areas to have 3G withdrawn on 16th July, with Torquay to follow on 4th August 2025.
The process, which is due to reach nationwide completion by the end of 2025, should free up radio spectrum so it can be used to further improve the coverage and mobile broadband speeds of their modern 4G and 5G networks. O2 noted how they had already upgraded masts in the new locations ahead of the switch-off. The switch-off will also reduce the operators’ costs and power consumption.
The switch-off means that customers in these locations, including those on O2’s virtual / MVNO operators (e.g. Sky Mobile, giffgaff, Tesco Mobile), will require at least a 4G SIM and handset to continue using mobile data. But they are not switching 2G services off yet, which means that affected customers will still be able to use voice calls and send text messages as they currently do, at least for now – O2 will start shifting customers off 2G during 2025 too, but they won’t be able to completely withdraw it for several years (here).
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Known vulnerable customers have also been contacted with an offer of a 4G-ready device “free of charge“, while all other customers who do not currently have a 4G handset or SIM are said to have been offered a new device at a reduced price.
Jeanie York, VMO2’s Chief Technology Officer, said:
“We’re switching off our 3G network to focus our attention and investment on upgrading faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks that will give our customers a better overall experience.
Following the successful pilot in Durham earlier this month, we will now be switching off 3G in Norwich, Telford and Guildford in July, and Torquay in early August, with the rest of the UK to follow by the end of the year.
While we know that the vast majority of our customers already have a 4G or 5G device and will not have to take any action, our priority is to provide support to those who need it. That is why we are reaching out directly to customers who do not have a 4G or 5G handset, and calling those we know are vulnerable, to provide information about their next steps. It is important these customers upgrade their handsets in order to continue using mobile data after 3G is switched off.”
The main thrust of O2’s national 3G switch-off programme is currently due to begin from August 2025. At this point they will stop announcing individual locations due to the scale and pace of the effort.
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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At least O2 is slowly rolling out 5g in South Somerset. Can get coverage over in Wincanton Ilminster and some parts of Crewkerne. Probably be next for the 3g switch off I’m reckoning.
Yeah, O2 has added 5G 700 to quite a lot of places recently. Not sure how common it is in central areas, since I’ve only picked it up north of Bristol and didn’t really get anything passing through some towns in NE Somerset/Wiltshire (just n78 in Swindon).
It seems to have popped up occasionally here in Gloucestershire now (I now get n28 5G myself on cell edge at home), but it’s still definitely got a long way to go.
Let’s hope it helps as 4G coverage/speeds in Norwich for O2/Vodafone are abysmal.
And they PAYG users still without 4G calling feature. 2G fallback for couple of milion SIMs?
I’m hoping they think about us payg users. I use 3G for 90 percent of my calls.
I have a feeling Telford is going to struggle from what I’ve heard on the forums in the past, not sure about the rest of the places but it’s going to be interesting with 2 locations in the Vodafone host zone.
Let’s just hope O2 has put n28 to at least save them from complete carnage.
O2 n78 in Norwich was quite slow and VF are B1,7,20 primarily which can struggle at times but generally a better show than O2. There seems to be a slow unwind of both VF and O2 in Norwich with VF performing much better post unwind with their own n78 being deployed, O2 was still pretty slow. I have seen speeds of over 200mbps on B1,7,20 4G with VF in Norwich but I am also aware of it being pretty bad on St Stephens Street and inside Chantry Place. EE generally puts on the best show in the city centre but VF are not as terrible as O2 were from my testing. Three from experience in Norwich City Centre are just not worth bothering with at all.
In case you’re wondering, the “new device at a reduced price” is a TCL model 505. Got a text from them with this offer.
I live in Guildford and 4G data service from O2 is horrible when you are in town (likely due to contention). Hoping this will free up some bandwith to offer decent 5G data service in town.
The signal for all mobile operators in Scarborough old town is abysmal, lets hope they boost 4Gand 5G before switching 3G off.
3G shutting down allows them to perform that boost.
“O2 will start shifting customers off 2G during 2025 too”
Does anyone know what is really going on in regards to this claim? How does it compare with this: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/preparing-for-2g-switch-off—devices-using-international-roaming-sims-2g-network-coverage-data-and-predicted-new-2g-inbound-roaming-not-spots which says inward roaming stops in oct 2025 but O2’s own customer usage lasts longer and this: https://piblu.co.uk/2024/08/28/switch-off-announcement-o2-2g-and-3g/ which says oct 2026 is the end of O2 2G. The 3G shutdown is easy, all 3G devices can drop back to 2G. It’s the 2G shutdown which is the problem, calls and SMS texts rely on it, yet O2 isn’t being at all clear with various talk of “shifting” and “restricting”. The situation is made doubly strange by some of O2’s messaging suggesting, wrongly from everything I could find, that the 3G shutdown would affect calls and texts, it should only matter in regards to data traffic, calls and texts are 2G already and never went over 3G.