BT switches off final UK 3G site

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While 4G covers 99% of the population, BT has offered provisions to those still reliant on the 3G network

BT Broadband
(Image credit: BT)

BT has announced that the final station in its 3G network has been switched off, marking the end of EE’s 3G network that has served the UK for more than 20 years.

Much of the UK has switched to the much faster provisions of 4G and 5G, with rumors of network providers piloting 6G technology by the end of the decade.

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Goodnight 3G, you served us well

In a statement, BT Chief Networks Officer Greg McCall said, “We have now successfully completed the nationwide closure of our 3G network, resulting in big improvements for both our customers and the environment.

“Those 3G customers who have transitioned to our 4G and 5G networks are now enjoying more reliable and widespread mobile coverage with faster mobile internet speeds, while switching off 3G has already saved enough energy to charge nearly one billion smartphones.”

McCall further stated that BT will continue to monitor and improve the coverage and performance of the other networks offered by BT, including its 2G network upon which voice calls and texts rely upon. It is for this reason that 3G was shut down, as no vital services relied upon it and later generation networks superseded its offerings.

In a previous statement from December 2023, McCall stated that it would be assisting the ‘small minority’ still reliant on 3G with a support team “committed to ensuring all of them, especially vulnerable customers, have the support available to help them make the transition successfully if they want to.”

The telecoms giant also announced that they would be providing vulnerable customers with free 4G ready phones to keep them connected.

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Benedict Collins
Benedict Collins
Senior Writer, Security

Benedict is a Senior Security Writer at TechRadar Pro, where he has specialized in covering the intersection of geopolitics, cyber-warfare, and business security.

Benedict provides detailed analysis on state-sponsored threat actors, APT groups, and the protection of critical national infrastructure, with his reporting bridging the gap between technical threat intelligence and B2B security strategy.

Benedict holds an MA (Distinction) in Security, Intelligence, and Diplomacy from the University of Buckingham Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS), with his specialization providing him with a robust academic framework for deconstructing complex international conflicts and intelligence operations, and the ability to translate intricate security data into actionable insights.