EE reveals 3G network shutdown complete – checklist of affected smartphones
EE owner BT has said goodbye to 3G for good after switching off the latter site.
For anyone still using an older phone, this may mean you have to upgrade to continue receiving any coverage – see the full list further down.
Britain’s network providers have been working to switch off slow 3G to make room for more 4G and 5G technology.
BT has revealed that its last 3G site in Belfast closed last week.
The company has retired the technology from more than 18,000 mobile sites since last year.
It means that older smartphones that only have 3G will now lose the ability to go online with their data – although the 3G network had become so slow and limited that even accessing something as basic as WhatsApp was a problem.
Affected devices will still be able to call and text on the old 2G network, which won’t be available until 2033.
And you can still use the internet via Wi-Fi.
Last year, EE revealed to The Sun some of the most popular 3G-only smartphones:
- Doro 6520, Doro 6521, Doro 6620
- Apple iPhone 4S
- TCL 1C
- Nokia-301
- Apple iPhone 4
- NokiaC2-01
- HMD 3310
- Samsung Galaxy Ace
- Samsung Galaxy s3 mini
- TCL Pixi4
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Many of these devices have long been out of stock.
And some, like the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, are even dangerous to use because they no longer receive important software updates that prevent hackers from hijacking your phone.
EE offers support to all customers who need to upgrade.
“The 3G customers who switched to our 4G and 5G networks now enjoy more reliable and wider mobile coverage with faster mobile internet speeds, while switching off 3G has already saved enough energy to charge almost a billion smartphones,” says Greg McCall, BT’s Head of Networks.
“We will continue to monitor the performance of our other mobile technologies (2G, 4G and 5G) to ensure EE customers continue to get the high-quality connectivity experience they need via the UK’s most reliable mobile network.”
Disable 3G: what about other networks?
BT is the first of the big four to reveal that the 3G switch-off has been completed.
It is expected that Vodafone will be ready to switch off 3G on its network at any time.
Three aims to follow suit and shut down 3G by the end of 2024.
And Virgin Media O2 will mark the complete end of 3G in Britain by 2025.