Mobile network operator O2 (Virgin Media) has this morning revealed that they’ll begin the withdrawal of their older 3G mobile (broadband) services across the United Kingdom – the last major operator to do so – in April 2025, which will start with the city of Durham in England (not to be confused with County Durham).

Just to recap. Back in 2023 VMO2 became the final mobile operator to reveal their plan for switching off their 3G mobile (mobile broadband) network (here), which they said would begin in 2025 and the withdrawal will then occur in phases, with completion by the end of this year.

The first switch-off site in Durham will thus help to inform their wider withdrawal programme. The process also aims to free up radio spectrum so it can be used to further improve the network coverage and mobile broadband speeds of more modern 4G and 5G based networks, as well as future 6G services. The switch-off will also reduce the operators’ costs and power consumption.

The operator states that the “vast majority of customers” will not have to take any action as a result of the switch off. O2 added that they’ve already started directly contacting the small proportion of customers in Durham who don’t currently have a 4G or 5G device to let them know that, from April, they will require a 4G SIM and handset to continue using mobile data.

As part of the company’s plan to support the small number of customers who will be impacted, known “vulnerable customers” have already been offered a 4G-ready device free of charge, helping them stay connected, while all other customers who don’t currently have a 4G handset or SIM will be offered a new device at a reduced price. Customers who don’t upgrade will find that their connections fall back to 2G, but they “would not be able to use mobile data” (2G can actually do data, it’s just so slow as to be pretty useless for the modern web).

Jeanie York, VMO2’s Chief Technology Officer, said:

“Switching off 3G will be an important milestone in the evolution of our network, enabling us to focus our attention and investment on faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks that will deliver improved services for our customers.

By starting in just one location and by putting careful monitoring in place, we’ll minimise disruption to customers and ensure the success of this essential modernisation programme.

While the vast majority of our customers already have a 4G or 5G device and will not be impacted, 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-ready device, and calling those we know are vulnerable, to help them prepare.

We will continue to support our customers as we complete the switch off of our 3G network.”

The operator said that customers can find out more about their 3G switch off on O2’s official website. Customers of the operator’s various MVNO (virtual) providers also have information pages –  Tesco Mobile customers can find out more here, Sky Mobile customers should visit here, while giffgaff customers can access further support here.

In addition, O2 previously announced that they’d also start shifting almost all remaining traffic and customers off their oldest 2G network in 2025 too (here). But they won’t be turning that off completely for “several years” because it’s still necessary for some vital services (e.g. some Smart Meters – home energy tracking) and as a fall-back in areas where 4G and 5G signals have yet to reach.

As usual, O2 intends to upgrade 4G and 5G connectivity as the 3G service is withdrawn. In the Durham area specifically, VMO2 has already upgraded 4G and 5G masts over the past year, with further improvements planned in 2025.

The Dorset Council in England recently set out its proposals for a £416m budget for 2025/26, which included major cost-saving measures of around £44m and some of that involves the greater adoption of digital technologies, as well as AI. But councillors have been quick to warn that “pockets” of poor broadband and a lack of digital skills, among some groups, could create problems.

The council is currently in the process of adopting somewhat of an “invest to save” approach, where it’s hoped that spending on new technologies over the next year or two and encouraging local people to “self-serve” via those solutions will result in savings over the longer term. But this only works well if your constituents all have the necessary digital skills and access to at least a viable broadband service.

At present around 98% of premises in Dorset (excluding Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) should have access to a 24-30Mbps+ capable fixed broadband service and 61% for gigabit speeds (1000Mbps+), although data from Thinkbroadband does indicate that 0.74% of premises in the county cannot yet access USO speeds of 10Mbps and this falls to 0.2% for 2Mbps. Suffice to say, basic internet connectivity isn’t as poor today as it used to be, but gaps do remain.

Speaking of which, rural ISP Wessex Internet recently announced that they’d begun the build phase of their new £33.5m state aid supported Project Gigabit contract in Dorset and South Somerset (here), which will extend their gigabit speed FTTP broadband network to cover 21,400 hard-to-reach premises. So improvements on the connectivity side are still being made, which is also true for 4G mobile networks under the ‘Shared Rural Network’ project.

According to the Dorset Echo, Cllr Sherry Jespersen similarly warned that digital skills aren’t static and someone who might be OK with technology aged 70, could still struggle as they reach 80, or 90 etc. Some of this may be due to issues of worsening disability / health as people age (poor sight, memory etc.). Conservative group leader, Cllr Andrew Parry, added that “cost savings and improved customer services are not the best of bedfellows,” before warning that if the planned technology did not work as it should, the council could end up alienating both staff and the public.

However, the council’s Corporate Development Director, Aidan Dunn, told councillors that Dorset was already falling behind the technology curve and, with financial pressures getting worse, had little choice but to use systems already being used elsewhere to make some savings while trying to improve services. The budget announcement suggests that the council will attempt to find £14.4m in savings just from “operating more efficiently“.

The issues are of course not unique to Dorset Council and every region, as well as the whole country, will face similar challenges in the march toward a much more digital future.

The Government’s executive Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency and Ipsos UK have today published an “early process review” of the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy (GIS) programme under their £5bn Project Gigabit broadband roll-out scheme, which identifies what “worked well” and “less well” in terms of providing the GIS intervention to date.

Just to recap. Project Gigabit was designed to focus on improving connectivity for those in hard-to-reach (mostly rural) parts of the final 10-20% of UK premises. This primarily consisted of several support schemes, including gigabit vouchers (£210m), funding to extend Dark Fibre around the public sector and gap-funded deployments with suppliers (rest of the funding) – known as the Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy (GIS) programme.

Unlike prior schemes that handed funding to local authorities, the GIS programme and related procurement work has been much more centralised under government control (at least in England and Wales), which sees suppliers (e.g. CityFibre, Wessex Internet, BT Group etc.) bidding through a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) to extend their networks across disadvantaged parts of the UK.

As of November 2024, Project Gigabit had “over” 30 live gigabit broadband deployment contracts in place across England and Wales (here) – supporting planned deployments of gigabit-capable broadband to around 1 million premises. The new evaluation looks more at the process of how the GIS side of this project has functioned and “provides information on what has worked well and less well in terms of providing the GIS intervention to date“.

Broadly speaking, the early findings indicate that the “intervention appears to be operating effectively“, although it does note “some areas of concern around the change in the responsibilities of local bodies compared to the Superfast Broadband Programme, as well as around internal data across different interventions.” BDUK are currently also “trying to improve the quality of their internal data to help improve the accuracy of the OMR process” (i.e. the Open Market Review process is the mechanism that BDUK uses to identify future gigabit coverage over the next 3 years, which allows them to identify where public investment may be needed)

Conclusions of the Early Evaluation

The key findings and conclusions from the early process evaluation are presented below. Findings from a future impact evaluation will be needed to fully assess the effectiveness of some of the processes highlighted in this report, but the early findings indicate that the intervention appears to operating effectively:

Market engagement: The level and format of early engagement with the market, particularly BDUK demonstrating it was listening to the views of the market, was important in establishing an intervention that network providers were interested in participating in.

Intervention design: The intervention design process appears to have achieved the intended aims. It has balanced incorporating learning from the Superfast Broadband Programme around which areas are built to first with ensuring there is market interest. The approach to the ordering of connections used for the GIS intervention, in parallel with the rolling OMR process, was described as an improvement from the Superfast Broadband Programme in terms of preventing overbuild.

Intervention areas: The intervention areas identified by BDUK appear to represent areas which have a higher need of public subsidy to ensure the population can access gigabit capable networks. Providing intervention areas of different sizes has allowed different types of network provider to participate in the intervention and has allowed all contracts tendered to date to attract bids.

Intervention participation: All contracts tendered at the time of this research had attracted submissions from network providers, with 12 of the 19 contracts that have been awarded attracting more than one bid.

OMR responses: BDUK have secured a high level of participation in the OMR process. Out of 120 network providers invited to take part, more than three quarters have provided a response. This includes all large, national providers. The most recent national OMR process, in May 2023, secured 57 responses, again including all large, national providers.

Resources required to complete the OMR: Network providers reported that the resources required to complete the OMR process is substantial but has decreased over time due to learnings made by the providers and improvements made to the process by BDUK. These improvements included providing clearer guidance on requirements and making slight alterations to the data request to align more closely with the Connected Nations request from Ofcom.

OMR Feedback: Network providers reported that the feedback to more recent iterations of the OMR process provided a good level of detail about their submission, and was helpful to them in terms of future submissions. Previously feedback had been described as being insufficient and not useful.

Rolling OMR process: The proportion of English premises that have been categorised as ‘white’ in the year since the national OMR process was launched has altered, with a significant decrease in the premises categorised as ‘white’. This change will have significant impacts on where the GIS intervention will provide subsidised networks in order to maximise additionality. This highlights the benefits of undertaking a dynamic, rolling OMR process to BDUK and protecting the public purse.

Further changes to OMR process: Further work is ongoing to enhance the OMR, including internal data verification, ongoing reviews of the feedback provided to respondents and how the results of the OMR are shared. These changes will need to be assessed in subsequent evaluation activity.

One area of concern which was highlighted in the research was around the level of engagement with local bodies nations. BDUK has taken responsibility for the OMR and tendering processes in England and Wales, which used to be the responsibility of the local bodies in the Superfast Broadband Programme.

There appears to be some current challenges around data sharing between BDUK and the local bodies. This has led to some concerns being raised around the premises contracts are delivering to (and whether they would be covered by commercial or local authority build) and not utilising local knowledge in the tendering process. Additionally, local body input will be essential for the delivery of projects, therefore relationships with the local bodies nations will need to be strong to ensure the GIS intervention can be delivered effectively.

A further area of concern was around BDUK’s internal data across different interventions, most notably across the GIS intervention and the voucher scheme. BDUK are currently trying to improve the quality of their internal data, to make sure staff working on different interventions have a clear view of the premises other interventions are delivering to. This change should help to improve the accuracy of the OMR process and the premises categorised as ‘white’.

The report itself makes for quite a laborious read, unless you’re deeply interested in the technical side of the programme like we are, and no doubt some people will also view it along the lines of marking your own homework (i.e. containing some criticism, albeit largely playing it safe).

However, one area we would like to see improved is the issue of public transparency, specifically with the progress that each awarded contract has made. Under the previous SFBB programme, we got regular quarterly updates of how many premises had been delivered and the level of take-up obtained by each region/contract etc. Some local authorities also produced useful roll-out maps. But such data has not been so forthcoming under Project Gigabit, and the reports we do get are often far too limited.

Hull-based broadband ISP KCOM, which is building a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across parts of East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in England, has named the second round of three winners for their Digital Inclusion Grants. Each of the projects and organisations will share from a pot of £30k, which aims to improve lives in communities across the region.

The grant scheme, which is due to run until the end of 2026, is designed to help promote online inclusion, build stronger communities, connect generations and help boost digital skills and awareness across KCOM’s operating region.

The winners of this round of grants include the Goodwin Community Hub, which scooped £15,000 to fund its Get Online project, which empowers HU3 residents to learn new digital skills, improve participants’ ability to access services and employment opportunities and also stay connected with family.

The Creative Briefs organisation also won £10,000 to help support children and families (special focus on neurodiverse children), while Reel Creative secured £5,000 to help empower disadvantaged children and adults to tell their stories through media production.

Louise Babych, KCOM community impact partner, said:

“Once again we’ve had some fantastic entries for our latest round of Digital Grants and it was tough picking just three – but our three winners really stood out for having the potential to boost digital inclusion within the KCOM region.

Our Digital Grants are all about getting people online and boosting digital skills that will create opportunities and improve lives and the projects we’ve chosen will have a lasting legacy. I can’t wait to see the winning projects in action.”

The window for the next (third) round of applications is now open – see here.

News

A new survey suggests that the switch off could leave over 4.3 million people without access to mobile internet

Today, Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has announced it will begin its 3G shutdown in the city of Durham in April, before expanding to the rest of the UK by the end of the year.

The move will see customers with capable devices switched onto the faster and more energy efficient 4G and 5G networks, allowing VMO2 to repurpose the 3G spectrum.

Alongside VMO2’s mobile customers, the shutdown will also impact the customers of mobile virtual network providers that provide services over VMO2’s network, such as s Tesco Mobile, GiffGaff, and Sky Mobile.

According to the operator, only 3% of the company’s network traffic is carried over its 3G network, a figure that is decreasing steadily year-on-year.

“Switching off 3G will be an important milestone in the evolution of our network, enabling us to focus our attention and investment on faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks that will deliver improved services for our customers,” said Jeanie York, Virgin Media O2’s Chief Technology Officer.

“While the vast majority of our customers already have a 4G or 5G device and will not be impacted, 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-ready device, and calling those we know are vulnerable, to help them prepare.”

Exactly how many people are likely to be impacted by the shutdown is unclear. A recent survey, conducted by Opinium on behalf of Uswitch.com, suggested that the switch off could leave over 4.3 million people without mobile broadband following the 3G sunsetting.

The survey included 2,000 respondents, 875 of which were VMO2 customers. Of those, 51 said that their phone was not 4G or 5G capable, while a further 110 did not know. This combined total was then extrapolated in line with the UK’s adult population, giving the total of 4.3 million customers that could lose mobile internet from the 3G shutdown.

The scale of this disruption, however, seems overblown. Given handset distribution in the UK – and the fact that retailers have been gradually taking 2G/3G-only devices off the shelves for a number of years – it is likely that the majority of the phones reported in the ‘do not know’ category are, in fact, 4G/5G ready.

Indeed, back in 2023, Ofcom estimated that there were only 2.4 million mobile devices in the UK that currently use 3G or 2G connectivity – and that figure was split between all four of the UK’s mobile operators.

On that note, it is worth mentioning that all VMO2’s rivals have either already completed their 3G shutdown (Vodafone and EE) or are in the process of doing so (Three UK, which targeted the completion of its 3G shutdown by the end of 2024). In all these cases, disruption appears to have been minimal; it has certainly not caused the level of complaints you would expect from millions of people being cut off from the internet.

Ultimately, it seems like VMO2’s 3G sunsetting will affect a relatively small number of people, whom the operator is seeking to adequately support where possible.

Alongside shutting down its 3G network, VMO2 is also planning to shift almost all its customers off of its 2G network, though the network itself will not be fully shut down for a number of years due to it supporting critical services like smartmetres.

VMO2 says only 1% of its customers currently use 2G-only mobile devices.

How is the UK telecoms market evolving in 2025? Join the discussion at Connected North live in Manchester

Also in the news:
VEON and Starlink to launch Direct-to-Cell Satellite connectivity in Ukraine
Swisscom completes acquisition of Vodafone Italia
Equinix to buy BT’s Irish data centre business for €59m

News 

TalkTalk will exit its co-founded child safety charity, Internet Matters, by the end of March, the Telegraph has reported 

Internet Matters, a charity that educates parents, schools, and caregivers about online safety, was founded in 2014 by TalkTalk alongside BT, Virgin Media, and Sky.  

Despite growing concerns about online safety and upcoming UK regulations aimed at tightening controls over major internet platforms, TalkTalk says it is no longer able to financially support the charity. 

“TalkTalk is proud to be one of the founders of Internet Matters, having financially supported the organisation for the past decade. We remain committed to online safety and are exploring different ways of continuing to support Internet Matters and its work moving forward,” said a TalkTalk spokesperson.Internet Matters is primarily funded by its founding members, each contributing an annual membership fee of around £300,000. 

“We would like to thank TalkTalk for the significant contribution they have made to Internet Matters for the last 11 years. Their support has been invaluable,” said an Internet Matters spokesperson. 

“Internet Matters remains committed to its mission to keep children safe online and is supported by a broad base of members and partners across a range of industries, and we look forward to continuing to work with them to provide families across the UK with the vital help that they need.” 

TalkTalk’s withdrawal is part of the wider cost-reduction strategy,  with the company aiming to reduce its overall expenses by £120 million.  

Additional cost cutting measures include job cut, with TalkTalk already having begun redundancy consultations for the 130 jobs being cut at in its consumer division based in Salford. More are set to follow at its wholesale business, Platform X.  

The company’s latest accounts show the company had losses of £72 million in the six months to August 2024, up from £47 million in the same period last year. Revenue also fell 6% to £700 million. 

Join the conversation on the UK connectivity market at this year’s Connected Britain, 24-25 September in London. Get tickets here!  

Also in the news:
Vodafone fully offloads remaining Indus Towers stake
Nokia and Openreach partner for fibre network automation
The future evolution of ODN technologies

News 

The government’s new AI plan aims to boost productivity, create jobs, and modernise public services amid a slowing economy 

The UK government has announced a plan to integrate AI into key sectors, aiming to boost economic growth, streamline public services, and create thousands of jobs.  

Attempting to take control of the country’s economic conversation after an unsettled past week in the financial markets, the AI Opportunities Action Plan, launched today, includes 50 recommendations from tech adviser Matt Clifford, all of which have been adopted by the government. The measures focus on fostering AI innovation, supporting infrastructure development, and accelerating adoption across public and private sectors. 

The plan comes alongside £14 billion in private-sector investments from companies including Vantage Data Centres, Nscale, and Kyndryl. Combined, these projects are expected to create over 13,000 jobs: 

• Vantage Data Centres will invest £12 billion in expanding data centres across the UK, including a major facility in Wales, creating 11,500 jobs. 

• Nscale plans to build the UK’s largest sovereign AI data centre in Essex, contributing $2.5 billion. 

• Kyndryl will create a tech hub in Liverpool, adding 1,000 jobs over the next three years. 

AI Growth Zones, the first of which will be in Culham, Oxfordshire will be established to streamline planning processes for AI-related infrastructure deployment. These Zones will focus on areas clearly able to meet data centres’ high power demands and also featuring strong local government support. This, the government says, will help these areas transform into the backbone of the UK’s digital economy.  

“The AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. And in a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and take action to win the global race,” said Prime Minster Keir Starmer in a press release. 

“Our plan will make Britain the world leader. It will give the industry the foundation it needs and will turbocharge the Plan for Change. That means more jobs and investment in the UK, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services.”  

AI is already in use in the NHS, improving diagnoses and patient care. The new plan seeks to expand its role across the public sector, including reducing administrative workloads for teachers and enabling automated solutions for infrastructure maintenance, such as pothole detection.  

The Prime Minister detailed the government’s vision for AI in an op-ed for the Financial Times, highlighting the potential for AI to raise productivity, reduce administrative burdens, and create high-quality jobs.  

“Take waiting times in the NHS. We will use AI to cut them by filling appointments patients can no longer make and quickly rescheduling,” the piece read. 

The government will also increase public computing capacity twentyfold, starting with the development of a new supercomputer with enough AI power to play itself at chess half a million times a second. This will “supercharge our capacity to power AI products,” read the release. 

A National Data Library is being created to facilitate secure access to public data for AI research, while an AI Energy Council will work with industry to address the energy demands of the technology. 

The plan emphasises the need to establish the UK as a hub for AI innovation  cementing its place as the third largest AI market in the world. Measures include creating a dedicated team to attract investment and ensure businesses have access to essential resources like data and energy. The government has also tasked its departments with prioritising AI adoption in their sectors. 

The Action Plan is part of the government’s broader Industrial Strategy, with further details to be outlined in the upcoming Digital and Technology Sector Plan. The announcement builds on previous government initiatives, such as the creation of the AI Safety Institute in November 2023 under Rishi Sunak’s leadership. The Safety Institute focused on mitigating risks associated with frontier AI models, including issues like bias, misinformation, and extreme scenarios where AI could become uncontrollable. Sunak also announced a £400 million allocation toward AI chips and supercomputers, with funding drawn from a £900 million package for AI research resources. The initiative aimed to bolster the UK’s global standing in AI innovation and safety 

Join us to discuss the UK’s AI market at this year’s Connected Britain, 24-25 September in London. Get discounted tickets here! 

Also in the news:
TalkTalk pulls support for ‘Internet Matters’ charity amid financial struggles
Vodafone fully offloads remaining Indus Towers stake
Nokia and Openreach partner for fibre network automation 

The Chief Security and Networks Officer of BT Group, Howard Watson, has today joined the COO of BT Business, Kerry Small, in setting out what approach they intend to take when it comes to withdrawing their old 2G mobile service on EE. This will start in the “coming months“, when they’ll begin encouraging some customers to move to their more modern (4G and 5G) network.

The UK government and all major mobile operators have so far agreed to phase-out existing 2G and 3G signals by 2033 (here), which will free up radio spectrum bands so that they can be used to further improve the network coverage and mobile broadband speeds of more modern 4G and 5G networks, as well as future 6G services. The switch-off will also reduce the operators’ costs and power consumption.

In case anybody has forgotten, EE already switched-off their final 3G sites back in February 2024 (here), which actually came before their older 2G network. The situation around 2G tends to be more complicated, not least because older 2G signals remain useful as a low-power fallback when 4G/5G isn’t present and are still necessary for some rural areas, as well as for particular applications (e.g. certain Internet of Things (IoT) / M2M services).

Suffice to say that it is expected to take several years before 2G can be completely switched off across the United Kingdom, which helps to explain why today’s update from EE does not include a clear timeline. Instead, the operator is looking to “start these conversations early“, so that they can improve their collaboration with customers and make a better plan for the future withdrawal of 2G, which is expressed as taking place “in the years ahead“. The provider then makes clear that they “will not be closing our 2G network until later this decade“.

However, the initial focus will be on their business customers. EE thus intends to contact “all our business customers who still use 2G in their operations” over the “coming months” in order to “encourage and support them in making the move to a modern network; such as 4G, 5G or our new purpose-built Internet of Things (IoT) service used to connect smart devices and sensors.”

In the meantime, the operator said they would continue to prepare for the withdrawal of 2G by “expanding the reach of our 4G and 5G networks and working closely with industry bodies, charities and Ofcom to raise awareness“. But when the time comes, they pledge to “provide comprehensive support – both online and in-person – to all our remaining 2G customers to move to a more modern and robust network“. The full blog post can be found below:

Giving UK businesses the future-fit mobile networks they need

By Howard Watson, Chief Security and Networks Officer, BT Group & Kerry Small, Chief Operating Officer, BT Business

Mobile connectivity has come a long way since the early 1990s when the UK launched its first 2G network. It was a time long before the first smartphone was invented, before the Premier League launched, and even before the first SMS text message was sent.

But it is a world apart from what we, as a society, now demand from our digital communications. Today, just 0.1 percent of all data on our entire EE mobile network is carried over 2G.

As a result, all mobile operators have committed to the UK Government to close their 2G networks by 2033 at the latest. While we will not be closing our 2G network until later this decade, the time for businesses to start preparing is now.

We want to make sure all UK businesses understand how our network is evolving and give several years notice before any changes take effect.

Having first spoken publicly about our 2G retirement plans back in 2021, in the coming months we will be reaching out to all our business customers who still use 2G in their operations to encourage and support them in making the move to a modern network; such as 4G, 5G or our new purpose-built Internet of Things (IoT) service used to connect smart devices and sensors.

Greener. Faster. Stronger.

These modern forms of network connectivity are widespread across the UK, and with cutting-edge technologies like 5G standalone and Global Fabric making headlines, most of our customers already benefit from reliable, secure and energy-efficient connectivity.

Businesses that continue to rely on 2G technology and devices are missing out on better connectivity and the improved functionality, security and productivity that can come from it.

We are listening to our customers, and this long-planned network evolution is our response to their needs. With greater focus on climate change and sustainability targets, more businesses across the UK now only want to use the most energy efficient mobile networks.

2G is extremely energy intensive and, as with any technology, the older it gets the less reliable and more difficult to repair it becomes.
Many operators in the US, Australia and Europe have already switched off their 2G networks. Taking that step here allows us to continue optimising the secure and future-ready networks our customers – and the wider UK economy – need.

Backing UK businesses

If we’re going to provide the UK with a rock-solid foundation to build out its digital economy, then relying on mobile network architecture that was designed three decades ago is not the answer.

Despite the ever-decreasing reliance on 2G, some businesses do still use it as part of their operations, primarily to transfer small amounts of data between devices, sensors or machines.

By reaching out to these businesses now to make them aware of how our network is changing for the better, we can provide tailored support and technical advice so they can upgrade to a modern connection.

We are starting these conversations early so that we can collaborate closely with the business community, giving them certainty and ensuring we take account of their needs in setting a date for the switch off, ensuring several years notice to make the transition safely and affordably.

So, what happens next?

In the years ahead, we will be preparing our network for the closure of 2G. That will include continuing to expand the reach of our 4G and 5G networks and working closely with industry bodies, charities and Ofcom to raise awareness.

When that time comes, we will provide comprehensive support – both online and in-person – to all our remaining 2G customers to move to a more modern and robust network. Doing so will mean they benefit from our cutting-edge connectivity, which many businesses are already using to power greener growth for decades to come.

One possible problem here is that the 3G switch-off did expose a few weak areas of pre-planning and 4G coverage, where some customers of various operators and in certain locations found they were only able to access a 2G service after the old 3G one was withdrawn (mainly impacting data / broadband services).

Complaints like those above are in the minority, but we have seen a few of them. Suffice to say, mobile operators will need to be particularly cautious with the 2G switch-off, as a tiny proportion of people may have no fallback if 4G or 5G isn’t improved first. EE clearly say they want to do this before 2G is switched-off, so that’s a positive, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on this.

Debt-troubled UK broadband provider TalkTalk has reportedly “pulled out” of industry-funded online child safety charity Internet Matters, which was established alongside BT, Virgin Media and Sky Broadband during 2014. The move is said to form part of the ISP’s efforts to cut £120m in costs and follows recent job cuts (here).

The latest move ultimately flows from last year’s decision to accept a refinancing package worth roughly £400m (here and here), which saved TalkTalk from the immediate risk of a default on its debts. The deal essentially extended the group’s debt maturities to September 2027 and brought them more time to fix the foundations or find a buyer for their various companies, which won’t be an easy task (here).

At the same time, TalkTalk’s most recent financial results (here) revealed that their on-net customer base (fibre FTTP/C and broadband) had fallen again to 3.6 million (down from 3.94m in 2023), although their Ethernet (leased lines etc.) base grew to 75,000 (up from 69,400). Suffice to say that recent developments mean the provider is having to find ever deeper ways of cutting costs in order to stay afloat.

According to a report on the Telegraph (paywall), the founding members of ‘Internet Matters’ are understood to pay an annual membership fee of roughly £300,000. This may be just a drop in the ocean of TalkTalk’s debt, but it’s a drop they clearly need.

A TalkTalk spokesman said:

“TalkTalk is proud to be one of the founders of Internet Matters, having financially supported the organisation for the past decade. We remain committed to online safety and are exploring different ways of continuing to support Internet Matters and its work moving forward.”

Interestingly, the newspaper indicates that the charity’s other backers may not currently be minded to increase their contributions in order to cover the loss of TalkTalk’s support.

Network testing giant Ookla, which collects data from consumers via their popular Speedtest.net service, has published their Q3-Q4 2024 (H1) study into the speed of 5G based mobile broadband networks across the United Kingdom. The results reveal that Three UK once again delivered the fastest downloads (236.25Mbps) and uploads (12.94Mbps), but their performance has fallen.

As we’ve said before, mobile data performance can be a very difficult thing to pin down because related users are always moving through different areas (indoor, outdoor, underground etc.), using different devices with different capabilities and the surrounding environment (weather, trees, buildings etc.) is ever changeable.

All of the above can impact your service, and that’s before we even consider the other issues, such as network (backhaul) capacity at different cell sites or differing spectrum ownership between mobile operators. Nevertheless, Ookla’s latest study attempts to examine this by comparing 2,337,622 “user-initiated 5G tests“, taken via their iOS and Android based mobile apps (total of 397,094 devices), from all four of the major UK mobile operators.

The results report that Three UK continued to deliver the fastest average (median) 5G mobile download speeds of 236.25Mbps (down from 255.23Mbps in H1 2024) and uploads of 12.94Mbps (down from 14.47Mbps), which is now a long way from the 292.57Mbps they scored back in H2 2022. However, Three’s rivals also saw a small reduction in 5G download and upload performance, while O2 still remains stuck at the bottom of the table.

Ookla’s UK 5G Mobile Speeds for H2 2024 (vs H1 2024)

Median Download Speed
Three UK – 236.25Mbps (255.23Mbps)
Vodafone – 149.80Mbps (155.90Mbps)
EE – 100.56Mbps (106.61Mbps)
O2 – 73.86Mbps (75.96Mbps)

Median Upload Speed
Three UK – 12.94Mbps (14.47Mbps)
Vodafone – 11.55Mbps (12.27Mbps)
EE – 11.97Mbps (12.23Mbps)
O2 – 8.46Mbps (8.97Mbps)

Median Latency (lower figures are faster)
Three UK – 29ms (29ms)
EE – 30ms (29ms)
Vodafone – 31ms (30ms)
O2 – 33ms (34ms)

Ookla also included some city-specific results for 5G speeds in London, Birmingham and Manchester, which you can see below.