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.