Three 3G shutdown timetable?

[cancunia]

As per the title has anyone seen a rollout (rollin?) schedule for the Three UK 3G turnoff? Or, for that matter for any of the others?

 

[chrisyyw]

As per the title has anyone seen a rollout (rollin?) schedule for the Three UK 3G turnoff? Or, for that matter for any of the others?

2024-2025.

If they start too soon they’ll leave millions without service.

We’ll see areas with Band 1 4G go first I’d have thought.

 

[FOPS]

Three are planning to have 3G gone by the end of 2024.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.p...-to-switch-off-3g-mobile-service-by-2024.html

It's in their T&Cs as well should you take out a new contract with them. This is what my T&Cs said almost exactly 12 months ago.

Between October and December 2024, we will be making changes to the Three Network. Following these changes, you will need a 4G or 5G handset capable of making voice calls on the 4G network, or a 4G or 5G router to access the Three Services. 3G-only devices, and early 4G handsets that can only make 3G voice calls, will no longer work on the Three Network.

 

[cancunia]

There's an interesting piece here and here about the ambitious EE plans.
Vodafone have said where they've done it so far but that's about it.
No matter where I look, I can't see any published plans.

 

[meritez]

@cancunia

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/252592/3G-and-2G-switch-off.pdf

 

[chrisyyw]

Three are planning to have 3G gone by the end of 2024.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.p...-to-switch-off-3g-mobile-service-by-2024.html

It's in their T&Cs as well should you take out a new contract with them. This is what my T&Cs said almost exactly 12 months ago.

Between October and December 2024, we will be making changes to the Three Network. Following these changes, you will need a 4G or 5G handset capable of making voice calls on the 4G network, or a 4G or 5G router to access the Three Services. 3G-only devices, and early 4G handsets that can only make 3G voice calls, will no longer work on the Three Network.

I hope they start work on the 1,000's of UMTS only sites they have.

Simply turning them off will not be good enough. Quite a big ask when they don't have a 2G fall back.

The difference between say an EE 3G shut down and a Three 3G shut down is quite substantial.

 

[cancunia]

@cancunia

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/252592/3G-and-2G-switch-off.pdf

Thanks for the link, the 'key expectations' section is interesting.
So:
EE will complete by March but no published plans
Vodafone originally said end of 2023 & now say early 2024, but again, no plans published

 

[meritez]

@cancunia
The oldest iphones that support volte are the iPhone 6 upwards, plus you do not need an apple id to use an iphone and volte just works out of the box.
EE switched 3G off in Warrington in July 2023, as a trial.

 

[cancunia]

@cancunia
The oldest iphones that support volte are the iPhone 6 upwards, plus you do not need an apple id to use an iphone and volte just works out of the box.
EE switched 3G off in Warrington in July 2023, as a trial.

To be honest, it's the Three mast near my home that I'm most interested in as I want to know when to check if they made 4G data usable & I'm guessing that'll be when they turn off 3G. Overall, given the timescales published by Voda & EE, I'm quite surprised that neither have any published plans that I can find.

 

[Mr Choo]

If you go to the vodafone status or coverage page(s) there is an option to see future coverage (3 months it says!) and in my area 3G has no coverage. WRT to Three whatever they tell you (from the CEO's office) does not transpire as my 4G mast was supposed to have been sorted last year, still "fixing an issue" now.

 

[cancunia]

Three have been posting the same message for at least 6 months where I live
"We’re sorry for any disruption you experience. Our engineers are working on masts nearby, which means the rest of our network is handling more traffic than usual."

When pushed, they say it's a 'congestion' issue but don't have any details, my guess is it's the backhaul from the local mast, so hopefully when 3G goes, it'll free up some backhaul.

 

[fuzzy]

If you go to the vodafone status or coverage page(s) there is an option to see future coverage (3 months it says!) and in my area 3G has no coverage.

Same here, but it's been like that for months. I think it reflects their aspirations before the switchoff was delayed rather than a current timetable.

 

[Mr Choo]

Vodafone were in the area recently and caused much upset with dropped calls, missed calls, delayed texts and whatnot for those in the town centre. What I see is that the signal level at the house has dropped a bit and most calls are now over wifi depending on what room I'm in, I'm on the outskirts and did notice anything amiss at the time but I'm not a heavy user of calls and texts.
Some spoke to vodafone and it was to do with the 3G switch off and the website did reflect that on the status page.

 

[GavinAshford]

In some areas/on some sites, Three's remaining 5MHz spectrum in the 2100Mhz frequency (for 3G use) has started to be refarmed over to newer technologies (4G/5G) in recent days/weeks.

I saw 15MHz of B1 (EARFCN 76) available on a site in the centre of Reading yesterday, and it's showing in cellmapper for some sites in London too.
(Edit: Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff too)

My guess is that they're targeting sites where there is 'sufficient' (according to their coverage models) coverage from other nearby sites to continue to provide a service on 3G.

 

[chrisyyw]

In some areas/on some sites, Three's remaining 5MHz spectrum in the 2100Mhz frequency (for 3G use) has started to be refarmed over to newer technologies (4G/5G) in recent days/weeks.

I saw 15MHz of B1 (EARFCN 76) available on a site in the centre of Reading yesterday, and it's showing in cellmapper for some sites in London too.

My guess is that they're targeting sites where there is 'sufficient' (according to their coverage models) coverage from other nearby sites to continue to provide a service on 3G.

Interesting I will keep an eye out for this.

I really do hope Three do not simply turn off 3G masts that are currently covered by an overlapping 4/5G site.

There is a solitary UMTS 2100Mhz mast in a local town which has never been touched. It provides indoor coverage in that town yet outdoor, you get weak 4G/5G from a macro site 3 miles away.

If I start to see Three shutting these sites down I’ll PAC straight out because it’s completely unacceptable to wipe out coverage in these areas.

Especially when EE, Vodafone and O2 have a 4G presence providing indoor wall to wall coverage.

 

[cancunia]

Vodafone were in the area recently and caused much upset with dropped calls, missed calls, delayed texts and whatnot for those in the town centre. What I see is that the signal level at the house has dropped a bit and most calls are now over wifi depending on what room I'm in, I'm on the outskirts and did notice anything amiss at the time but I'm not a heavy user of calls and texts.
Some spoke to vodafone and it was to do with the 3G switch off and the website did reflect that on the status page.

Following storm Babet, my local Vodafone reception got very flaky with much slower speeds & regular dropouts, the speeds now seem better but dropouts continue. I now wonder if it's part of the 3G turnoff. I live in a rural location with service from just a single mast.

 

[S0X]

Interesting I will keep an eye out for this.

I really do hope Three do not simply turn off 3G masts that are currently covered by an overlapping 4/5G site.

There is a solitary UMTS 2100Mhz mast in a local town which has never been touched. It provides indoor coverage in that town yet outdoor, you get weak 4G/5G from a macro site 3 miles away.

If I start to see Three shutting these sites down I’ll PAC straight out because it’s completely unacceptable to wipe out coverage in these areas.

Especially when EE, Vodafone and O2 have a 4G presence providing indoor wall to wall coverage.

If they're re-farming it to 4G, then coverage should be fine, right? At least for people with 4G devices.

 

[chrisyyw]

If they're re-farming it to 4G, then coverage should be fine, right? At least for people with 4G devices.

I haven't seen or heard of Three decommissioning any UMTS only sites so I am jumping the gun a little. There is a reason why Three have not upgraded them to 4G though.

If they simply turn them off because neighbouring cells provide coverage, I will be leaving.

 

[GavinAshford]

I really do hope Three do not simply turn off 3G masts that are currently covered by an overlapping 4/5G site.

Unfortunately, it's very possible it might happen - I believe EE are already doing it.

I guess the thinking is that since the 2100MHz network was planned/rolled out the lower frequencies that have since become available/deployed can be used to continue to provide some coverage where previously, with the higher frequency, it was necessary to have a more dense network.

 

[chrisyyw]

Unfortunately, it's very possible it might happen - I believe EE are already doing it.

I guess the thinking is that since the 2100MHz network was planned/rolled out the lower frequencies that have since become available/deployed can be used to continue to provide some coverage where previously, with the higher frequency, it was necessary to have a more dense network.

I can't remember the last time I came across one on EE.

There are plenty on Three though.