British telecommunications company BT Group has announced the completion of its final 3G mobile site shutdown, marking the end of 3G technology in the UK's EE Mobile network after more than 20 years. The last 3G site to be switched off was located in Belfast, said BT in an official statement.
Also Read: EE Announces Pilot Withdrawal of 3G Service in Warrington, Prioritizing 4G and 5G Networks
Upgrade Connectivity Infrastructure
The company said it continues to upgrade Britain's connectivity infrastructure, highlighting the increasing adoption of modern technologies like 4G and 5G by users and communities across the UK.
As reported by TelecomTalk, BT phased out customer reliance on the 3G network throughout 2023 and conducted a detailed pilot switch-off in Warrington. This enabled the company to commence the nationwide 3G switch-off as planned in early January.
BT states that it has responsibly and systematically retired the technology across over 18,000 mobile sites, incorporating pauses into the process to closely monitor each region in real-time.
Also Read: BT Announces EE 3G Network Shutdown in the UK, Paving Way for 4G, 5G
Nationwide Transition to 4G and 5G
With the nationwide closure of the 3G network completed, customers have transitioned to 4G and 5G networks, enjoying enhanced reliability and widespread mobile coverage with faster internet speeds.
Additionally, the company notes that the switch-off of 3G has conserved enough energy to charge nearly one billion smartphones.
