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Our 3G switch off

Everything you need to know

Say goodbye to 3G. To allow us to focus on building a better 4G and 5G network, we are switching off the rest of our 3G coverage.

And we’re not alone. Other networks in the UK and abroad are also phasing out their 3G networks. 

We aim to switch off 3G in remaining areas by November 2025. Once we’ve done that, 3G coverage will no longer be available. And we aim to make our 4G or 5G networks available in as many areas as possible. 

In areas where 4G or 5G is available, calls, text, and data services will be available on devices compatible with our 4G or 5G networks. Remember to make sure your device network settings are not set to 3G only.

To use: 

  • Data – your device must be 4G compatible
  • Calls – your device must be 4G Calling – also known as VoLTE – compatible. Some older 4G devices don’t support 4G Calling.

You can check your device compatibility and settings on our device support page.

Important: if your device is only compatible with 3G, calls, texts, and data services will no longer be available.

There may be limited areas where our 4G or 5G networks aren’t available. You won’t be able to use your call, data, or text services in these areas on any devices.  

Check the coverage in your local area.

Getting in touch with us

To find out more about our 3G switch off, give us a call on 0800 033 8031 or visit your local Three store 

Business customers  

If you’re a business customer, get in touch with our Business team to find out what’s available.

What if I need more support?

Accessibility support

At Three, we aim to be inclusive and provide the right level of support for every customer. To find out how we can help and register your accessibility needs you can visit our accessibility hub. 

My current device is suitable for my accessibility needs, what support is available to me? 

We understand how important your device is to you. So if your phone isn’t 4G calling compatible, have a chat with our Accessibility team. 

To find out how we can help and to register your accessibility needs, visit our accessibility hub at vobofame.top/accessibility. Or get in touch with us at vobofame.top/accessibility/contact-us

What can you expect from the 3G switch-off? 

Better network performance and call quality

By switching off our 3G network, we've reused the 3G spectrum for our 4G and/or 5G services. This means we can offer higher-quality calls, smoother streaming, quicker downloads, and better overall performance.

Plus, 4G technology offers better voice quality, sound, and clarity compared with 3G. It also offers 4G Calling — also known as VoLTE — and Enhanced Voice Speech.

99% UK coverage

Our 4G network covers 99% of the UK population (outdoor coverage). And our 5G coverage is growing every day too.  

Plus, we’ve been awarded UK’s Fastest 5G Network by Ookla [2] for the sixth year running.  So, if you want super-fast downloads, smooth streaming, and lag-free gaming, make sure you’ve got a 5G ready device.

Emergency Alerts 

Our 4G and 5G networks carry Emergency Alerts – a free service from the UK government. They warn you if there’s a severe danger to life or property nearby. It may send alerts about anything from severe flooding and fires to terror attacks or public health emergencies.

Lower energy consumption

4G and 5G networks are more energy efficient than 3G networks. Mobile devices using a 4G or 5G network will have a longer battery life. And with less need to charge your device, you can enjoy a more convenient experience.

Frequently asked questions

No, we don’t have a 2G network. And like other networks in the UK and abroad, we've phased out 3G. We want you to have the best experience on our network, so we’re continuing to invest in our 4G and 5G networks. 

Using an older phone? To stay connected, you’ll need to change to a device that’s 4G Calling or 5G compatible.

Where our 3G network has been switched off and our 4G and 5G isn’t available, you won’t be able to contact the emergency services. You won’t be able to call, text or use video relay to contact them. However, your device will be able to use other operators’ networks – if available – to make emergency calls. 

You don’t need to be a customer of any other operators for this to work. This is something all network operators have agreed to. 

In areas where our 4G or 5G networks are available, contacting the emergency services by call, text or video relay will depend on your device: 

If you have a 4G or 5G device with 4G Calling (VoLTE):

You’ll be able to contact the emergency services by text, call or video relay. 

If you have a 4G device without 4G Calling (VoLTE): 

  • Emergency SMS – if you’ve already registered, you’ll be able to use this service.
  • Emergency video relay – If you’ve already registered, you’ll be able to use this service.
  • Emergency calls – You won’t be able to make an emergency call on our network. But your device will be able to use other operators’ 2G and 3G networks – if available – to connect the call. 

If you have a 3G only device:

  • Emergency SMS – this service will not be available. You won’t be able to send an emergency SMS.
  • Emergency video relay – this service needs a 4G data connection to work. So, you won’t be able to use it on our network. You will be able to use it while connected to Wi-Fi though.  
  • Emergency calls – you won’t be able to make emergency calls using our network. Your device will be able to use other operators’ 2G and 3G networks – if available – to connect the call. 

Important: other networks are also in the process of phasing out their 3G service. And while some operators will keep some 2G networks available after 3G is switched off, this will vary by operator.

On 8 December 2021, the Government announced that all public 2G and 3G networks will be switched off by 2033 at the latest. However, operators have been encouraged to switch off their networks – particularly 3G networks – earlier than that.

We started last year and now our 3G network has been switched off across most of the UK. We aim to switch it off in any remaining areas by November 2025.

3G is no longer available as a service. Any active 3G sites left are in the process of being switched off. If you’re in an area where 3G is the only available network, you will lose service when 3G is switched off. 

We’ll keep you updated as we switch off our remaining 3G sites. We’ll also let you know if this will affect the service where you live or in the areas where you regularly use our services. 

There may be limited areas where our 4G or 5G networks aren’t available. You won’t be able to use your call, data, or text services in these areas on any devices. 

You can stay up to date with our coverage improvements using our coverage checker. 

Some older 4G devices don't support 4G Calling. You can check your device on our device support page:

  • Pick your device
  • Go to Network
  • Check that 4G Calling (VoLTE UK & Abroad) is selected

If your device is compatible, you need to make sure 4G Calling is switched on in your device settings. You can find out how to do this on our device support page.

If it’s not compatible, you can still send and receive texts and temporarily use 4G data, but you won’t be able to make or receive calls using 4G. 

Where 3G’s been switched off and we’ve upgraded the network to 4G or 5G, calls, texts, and data will only be available on 4G Calling devices. If your device isn’t compatible, you’ll need to change to one that supports 4G Calling to keep using our network.

If you have a 4G data-only device, such as a tablet, you can keep using our 4G network as normal.

There may be limited areas where our 4G or 5G networks aren’t available. You won’t be able to use your call, data, or text services in these areas on any devices.

We’ve now switched off our 3G network across most of the UK and aim to switch it off in any remaining areas by November 2025. Once this has been done, 3G coverage won’t be available and devices that only use 3G for calls and data won’t be supported.

If you don’t change to a 4G or 5G ready device, you won’t be able to connect to our 4G and 5G networks.

We’ve now switched off our 3G network across most of the UK and aim to switch it off in any remaining areas by November 2025. Once this has been done, 3G coverage won’t be available. So, if you have a 3G-only device, you should change it to continue using our network.

You don't need to do anything if you’ve got a 4G or 5G data-only Home or Mobile Broadband device. You can continue using our 4G and 5G networks as usual.

You need 4G Calling to make and receive calls on your smartwatch. Our existing 4G network won’t be affected by the 3G switch-off. So, you should be able to continue using your smartwatch without any problems.

There may be limited areas where our 4G or 5G networks aren’t available. You won’t be able to use your call, data, or text services in these areas on any devices.

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