More Satisfied With 5G, This Country Will Remove 2G And 3G Networks Soon

UK plans to remove 2G and 3G networks from the country. (photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Amid the strengthening of 5G, the UK is now planning to remove 2G and 3G networks from its country, and that date has been set with mobile operators.

Operators supporting the new UK policy include Vodafone, EE Limited, Virgin Media, O2, and Three. EE's owner, BT Group, revealed in July that they plan to discontinue 3G by 2023, and 2G by the end of the decade.

Many other companies have started to phase out the technology that supports the service. UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said the move would help the UK make a smoother transition to a faster network.

"5G technology is already revolutionizing people's lives and business - connecting people across the UK to faster mobile data and making businesses more productive," Dorries said.

In addition, the UK government has also promised a funding boost to help advance mobile networks in the future, ending the country's over-reliance on a small number of suppliers and making it easier for new equipment makers to enter the market.

"Today, we are announcing an additional £50 million to put the UK at the forefront of mobile connectivity and to ensure our telecommunications network is secure now and in the future," said Dorries.

Meanwhile, Assembly Research founder Matthew Howett stated that the abolition of 2G and 3G networks might happen sooner than the government's 2033 deadline. With this deactivation, it will affect all types of old devices, such as 3G-only smartphones.

It will be critical for governments to act on behalf of consumers who may be slow to conform. "There is an important consumer protection dimension to all of this," Howett said.

"Of course you will have some people who may still rely on 2G/3G-capable handsets to make calls in an emergency, but also because devices like smart meters use 2G networks," Howett said.

Now, 5G coverage is being expanded across the UK. In July, EE announced customers would be able to receive 5G everywhere in the country in full by 2028.