Forum Discussion

ALF28's avatar
ALF28
Super solver
3 months ago
Solved

SWITCHING OFF 3G/2G

I see VM/02 are switching off 3g mobile network in 2025.

Also the 3G/2G may be affected with some piggyback services such as Tesco mobile etc.

I have been informed to upgrade to 4G by Tesco mobile both 3G & 2G (restricted) are phased out in 2025 and I need a 4G volte ( voice via data) mobile to continue. I. only have one 4G volte so my other mobiles and spares needs upgrading. I use pushbutton phones and do not need data myself as I have never used smartphones.

The dates for 02/Tesco are 1/01/2025 for 3G and I have seen a date April 2025 for 2G.

I also have a lyca mobile, which uses 02 and they say 2G will continue for calls and text, and also a  giffgaff mobile which uses 02 giffgaff advised me 2G will continue till 2033, so each operator may be different?

I use Tesco for my main phones so will have to upgrade one mobile to  4G mobiles before 2025 which is costly.

2G will remain for emergency services, smart meters and rural areas only, so as most of my mobiles use 2G or 3G do I need to upgrade all my phones now to 4G with volte sound

I will also ring Tesco mobile to for more info on what is happening to 2G, they are moving customers away from 2G and I am not sure what restricted service means.

As I have several mobiles and 3 companies all using 02 piggyback, I may need upgrade some, with phones costing between £40 to £80 depending on the make, so may use dual sim to keep the cost down, not sure if the sim can be for different companies in the same phone?

All my sims are 4G, so that is not an issue, some earlier sims would need upgrading to 4G in some cases.

Any advice on this would be appreciated.

 

 

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    3 months ago

    When we order a new mobile we always order a new SIM, this allows us to have both devices operating right up to the point when we trigger the transfer of the number from the old to the new phone, plus the new SIM will support 5G and will be physically compatible with the new mobile.

    Current mobiles support Wi-Fi calling, this gives perfect voice calls when at home ( or on any Wi-Fi )
    regardless of the local 4G/5G coverage.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    3 months ago

    When we order a new mobile we always order a new SIM, this allows us to have both devices operating right up to the point when we trigger the transfer of the number from the old to the new phone, plus the new SIM will support 5G and will be physically compatible with the new mobile.

    Current mobiles support Wi-Fi calling, this gives perfect voice calls when at home ( or on any Wi-Fi )
    regardless of the local 4G/5G coverage.

    • ALF28's avatar
      ALF28
      Super solver
      3 months ago

      Thanks for the advice, I am buying 3 new mobile phones today which are fully 4g compatible so that should solve the issue I hope. Tesco have confirmed again  that from 2025 all services will be 4g or 5g, removing the 3g and 2g mobile phone service which is powered by the 02 network. I will have a lot of redundant old mobiles to scrap.

      Only a small % of customers were using the older 2g networks, but they will need to upgrade next year probably.

      • goslow's avatar
        goslow
        Alessandro Volta
        3 months ago

        I think there will be all sorts of fun and games when the UK shutdown is fully implemented. The Australians have recently completed their shutdown

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIJavqEzEIw

        which seems to be a total shutdown of 2G and 3G and their issues have been compounded by a block on devices which are deemed incapable of making an emergency call on 4G. Problems have emerged on device compatibility (even when badged as 4G VOLTE capable) and issues of using devices across networks with different SIMS.

        FWIW, if you are buying new phones ALF28, I think your approach of checking future compatibility of the phones with the specific network you intend to use them on is the right way to go.

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta
    3 months ago

    O2 is slow, by the time it gets rid of 3G in 2025 the other three MNOs will already have done so. In fact Vodafone and EE haven't supported 3G for nine months.

    For Internet access both the phone and SIM card must support 4G or 5G. Although O2 isn't switching off 2G yet it doesn't want its continued usage, so users will be moved off it and will have to also use 4G or 5G to make calls and texts.

  • Client62's avatar
    Client62
    Alessandro Volta
    3 months ago

    I believe O2 may be intentionally slow to retire 2G/3G to maintain support for Smart Meters.

  • japitts's avatar
    japitts
    Very Insightful Person
    3 months ago

    I'm well aware of the various switchoff target dates from my day job.

    Lyca Mobile uses EE, not O2.

  • cje85's avatar
    cje85
    Trouble shooter
    3 months ago

    O2 (like all the other networks) is not turning off 2G fully, they will try to shift as much traffic as possible away from 2G by setting selection parameters which encourage the phone to stay on 4G/5G as much as possible. However 2G will still be available for older phones or in areas where the only coverage is 2G. 

    In summary phones that don't suport 4G/5G will still be able to make calls on the 2G network for many years to come. 

    • japitts's avatar
      japitts
      Very Insightful Person
      3 months ago
      cje85 wrote:

      O2 (like all the other networks) is not turning off 2G fully, they will try to shift as much traffic as possible away from 2G by setting selection parameters which encourage the phone to stay on 4G/5G as much as possible.

      Interestingly this is not necessarily the case. It does hugely depend on the network, because of their radio design.

      EE for example, have a larger 4G coverage footprint than 2G, and have historically had aggressive 4G reselection. In other words, on the extremely rare occasion you fallback to 2G, the phone is encouraged back to 4G ASAP. "Time spent on 4G" metrics have always been much better on EE than any other network.

      O2 & VF do not operate the same way, partly because of their network design but also the frequency bands their networks are based on. Indeed, VF have had quite widespread issues since their 3G switchoff with phones falling back to 2G when 4G is available, and users reporting unusable data as a direct result. O2 are far more reliant on 3G than they would publicly admit, and I hope they take lessons from VF's troubles in planning their shutdown.

    • ALF28's avatar
      ALF28
      Super solver
      3 months ago

      I hope that is the case that 2G will be around for a few more years.

      I can understand the 3G switch off makes sense, and I have had to switch my 3G phone to 2G ready for the 2025 02 switch off, and most networks have now dropped 3G.

      I have delayed buying 4G mobiles but if needed they are cheap to buy, however as Volte is needed for the 02 network, the mobile spec needs to confirm that.

      I have looked at many phones for sale and some just say 4G compatible and no mention of Volte.

      My local tesco mobile shop does not answer the phone , I have tried a few times, but will drop into the shop.

      The online help is poor, with a limited list of suitable phones or to type in the imei code to check if it will connect when the switch off occurs. Most of the 4G mobiles available online  I have considered are not listed, My wife has a 4G mobile with Volte by doro. so can switch on the digital option which then connects to 4G.

      As the shops and online are still selling 2G & 4g mobiles and  and as there are so many models that do have Volte unless it is specified somewhere. but it will be needed to connect if there  is no 2G, it confusing.

      Also as the exact dates are unknown, probably best to wait till the company send a message to say that 2G is switching off on a certain date.

      My other mobile is via EE so no problem with 2g in the near future and good job I have that alternative, and O2 seems to be the only one beggining 2G switch off which will affect any piggyback operators as well.

      So when the 3G/2G switch off happens eventually, the  02 network mobiles will need to upgrade to 4G/5g or switch operator to vodaphone or EE who have no date for 2G switch off, I did call into A vodaphone shop to check what was happening, information is sketchy, so no need to panic at this early stage of switch off warnings for 2G.

      I manage 6 personal  working mobile phones, mostly all still connected via 2G networks, except for one which is 4G

  • japitts's avatar
    japitts
    Very Insightful Person
    3 months ago

    Loving the (popular) mis-spelling of Vodafone, by the way.

    Really & truly, 2G & 3G are both old technology - and in EE's case, 4G has had greater coverage than both, for many years now. 4G also supports newer voice codecs that make for much more audible clarity.

    But for basic calls & texts, there's plenty of life in 2G yet. I would not expect frontline retail shop staff, much less from MVNO providers, to know anything beyond the marketing PR. I'd wager that mystery shops in such outlets could easily elicit some utter rubbish spoken about the network tech side - it's not what the staff are taken on for, it's their selling ability.

    • ALF28's avatar
      ALF28
      Super solver
      3 months ago

      I usually rely on spell checkers but they do not work on VM posts on my laptop.

      I agree 2g is old technology and the improved 4G is better and more secure.

      Why Your 2G Cellphone Network Data Encryption was Intentionally Weakened

      So probably wise to upgrade to 4G or 5G now when purchasing a new mobile phones, 2G may still be have to be used in some rural areas that do not have 4G yet or the signal is weak.

      Emergency services such as ambulance and smart meters presently use 2G so that may continue till 2033 and perhaps 999 calls.

       

      • japitts's avatar
        japitts
        Very Insightful Person
        3 months ago
        ALF28 wrote:

        Emergency services such as ambulance and smart meters presently use 2G

        A lot of old telemetry devices use 2G. Recent devices, and all emergency services, use 4G. Increasing volumes of blue-light services are now using ESN.

        ALF28 wrote:

        2G may still be have to be used in some rural areas that do not have 4G yet or the signal is weak.

        The concept of 2G being better in poor coverage areas only applies to Voda & O2. EE have a fundamentally different radio design, the result being that 4G has a greater coverage footprint than 2G - all else being equal.

        There's an awful lot of urban myths and "my mate Bob from down the pub" type stories out there...