UK's Biggest Mobile Operator Starts 3G Switchoff, Hopes It Won't Catch Out April Fools

UK telco Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) is preparing to retire its 3G services, and is set to start with the city of Durham in northeast England this April.

The operator says it wants to remind Durham residents that its 3G switch off program, announced earlier this year, will begin in the city on April 2 as part of a wider upgrade which aims to deliver improved 4G and 5G connectivity for customers.

According to the telco biz, the vast majority of customers will not have to take any action as a result of the switch off, though it claims to have contacted some customers in the area who don't currently have a 4G or 5G device, as they will require a 4G SIM and handset to continue accessing mobile data beyond April 2.

VMO2 told The Register the number of customers affected by the switch-off in this area will "likely be in the low hundreds."

Known vulnerable customers were contacted with an offer of a 4G-ready device free of charge, the company says, while other customers who don't currently have a 4G handset or SIM were a new device at a reduced price.

O2 customers can find out more about the 3G switchoff plans from the mobile operator's website.

This all stems from plans announced in 2021 by the previous government for all 2G and 3G mobile networks to be phased out of use in the UK by 2033. Some rivals have already completed this; BT/EE started its switch-off campaign in 2023, with its final 3G site being deactivated in Belfast early last year. Vodafone also completed its shutdown at about the same time.

Although behind the curve, VMO2 wants to reassure customers it will use any lessons learned from its Durham deactivation to inform its approach when other 3G sites across the UK are turned off during 2025. It says it will continue to engage with consumer groups and charities such as Good Things Foundation to help manage the transition effectively.

"By starting in just one location and by putting careful monitoring in place, we'll minimize disruption to customers and ensure the success of this essential modernization program," said VMO2 Chief Technology Officer Jeanie York.

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"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," she added.

Including its O2 and Virgin Mobile and MVNO customers such as Tesco Mobile combined, VMO2 is currently the UK's largest mobile operator, with a total mobile base of 23.2 million according to its latest results [PDF] with BT's EE close behind with 21.2 million.

VMO2 claims its 4G coverage is available to 99 percent of the UK population, while its 5G service is available to 75 percent. The telco also stands to gain some extra mobile spectrum from the merger of Three and Vodafone, which was given the nod by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in December. ®