Virgin Media O2 has announced that it will deactivate its 3G network in Durham by April 2025. This is part of the operator’s broader plan to shut down 3G services across the UK, a move first outlined over a year ago. The company has already begun notifying a small group of customers in Durham who do not have 4G or 5G devices, advising them to upgrade their devices and SIM cards to maintain mobile data services. Voice calls and SMS will still be accessible through the 2G network, though this too is set to be phased out in the coming years.
To ease the transition, VMO2 is offering free 4G handsets to vulnerable customers and discounts to others. The shutdown of 3G services follows a steady decline in its use, with VMO2 reporting that it accounts for less than 3% of their data traffic. The move is seen as a necessary step to free up resources for the faster and more reliable 4G and 5G networks.
VMO2 is proceeding cautiously, starting with Durham and monitoring customer impact closely. They aim to minimize disruption while ensuring the success of this essential modernisation program.
Meanwhile, BT, which operates the EE network, is preparing to shut down its 2G services by the end of this decade. While only a small fraction of its data traffic uses 2G, business customers, particularly those relying on M2M and IoT applications, still depend on the technology.
BT has committed to informing these customers ahead of the closure, encouraging them to transition to newer alternatives like the NB-IoT network. Both BT and its competitors, including VMO2, are working to meet the government’s 2033 deadline for phasing out 2G and 3G networks.
