Maisie LillywhiteGloucestershire
BBC
Older phones, such as these pictured in 2012, may not be able to switch over to 4G or 5G following the shutdown of the 3G network
Mobile phone owners with devices more than 10 years old may need to get a new one as 2G and 3G networks are phased out, a tech expert has said.
The switch off of the 3G network is almost complete after mobile phone operators were given a 2033 deadline by the government, with O2 to switch off its 3G network gradually in the coming weeks.
David McClelland said some older phones, along with burglar and care alarms, will not be able to receive 4G and 5G networks, while others may automatically switch over.
A spokesperson for O2 said it had written directly to its customers to inform them and had advised those with incompatible phones on upgrades “at a discounted price”.
McClelland said the 4G and 5G networks “have had a shot in the arm” to make the 3G network switch-off work.
He said of some users: “If they are still using the 3G network, then instead their phones will use the 4G or the 5G network.
“It could be the phone no longer has coverage whatsoever, or it could be that the phone actually switched back to 2G.
“2G is carrying on for a little bit longer, but they won’t be able really to use any data.”
‘Rural areas affected’
Daniel Gale of Gloucestershire Rural Community Council, which has been offering advice to residents on how to contact their suppliers, said the impact “can be a lot wider than people realise” due to the county’s rurality.
“The personal alarms, for example… it’s not a difficult process,” Gale said.
“It’s similar to the switchover with the landlines; it’s sometimes a simple add-on, but these processes need to be done to make sure they [users] stay online.”
A spokesperson for O2 said the changes come following an agreement with the government in 2021, and added 4G and 5G networks are “faster, more reliable, and more energy-efficient” than their predecessors.
“Our switch-off began last year, with 3G already withdrawn across a number of regions in the UK, and this older technology will be fully removed in the coming weeks,” they added.