Uswitch highlights risks to customers as VMO2 targets 3G sunset

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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.

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