Customers of the UK’s biggest mobile providers are being urged to upgrade their tech to avoid losing access to mobile internet. This comes as O2 announced the imminent shutdown of its 3G services this year, claiming it has become a “relic of a bygone era”. The operator, which is now part of Virgin Media O2, will continue to operate its 4G and 5G services.
The change will only affect customers with an older phone using 3G-only devices. Only 2% of O2’s mobile data usage is 3G, which no longer meets the demands of modern technology. Users with these devices will have already received messages outlining upgrade options. Delays in switching to a newer device with 4G and 5G technology could leave customers without web services. Scrapping the service means O2 can reclaim radio spectrum on its wireless networks, allowing it to boost speed and improve 4G and 5G coverage.
Many other service providers have also scrapped 3G access in the last few years, including Vodafone, EE, and Three. In 2025, multiple trials were carried out to ensure the successful shutdown of the service.
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We’re now more connected than ever thanks to significant investment in faster, more reliable 4G and 5G networks.
“As a result, 3G has become a relic of a bygone era.
“Our 3G network has already been withdrawn across many parts of the UK, with the remaining areas set to follow shortly.
“Although a 3G signal may still appear in some locations briefly in early 2026, the network will soon be fully shut down. Anyone still using a 3G-only handset should upgrade as soon as possible.”
Mobile internet works by sending and receiving signals through cell towers using radio waves, letting you stay online while moving around. Unlike Wi-Fi, which only works near a router, mobile networks cover large areas, and some connections in remote places can be linked via satellites in space to carry data over long distances.
The arrival of 3G first brought reliable mobile internet to users in the early 2000s. It was followed by 4G, rolled out widely from the late 2000s.
This marked a major leap forward, powering smartphones, social media and high-quality video streaming. The latest step, 5G, which began appearing in the UK in 2019, came with even faster speeds, minimal delays and the capacity to handle millions of connected devices.