Virgin Media O2 to begin 3G switch off in Durham

3G switch off! Virgin Media O2 has named the city of Durham as the first area where 3G services will be switched off in April. This follows the announcement in 2023 that the legacy 3G network would be switched off in order to deliver faster and more reliable 4G and 5G connectivity for mobile customers.

While the vast majority of customers will not have to take any action as a result of the switch off, the company has started directly contacting the small proportion of customers in the area who don’t currently have a 4G or 5G device to let them know that, from April, they will require a 4G SIM and handset to continue using mobile data.

As part of the company’s plan to support the small number of customers who will be impacted, known vulnerable customers have already been offered a 4G-ready device free of charge, helping them stay connected, while all other customers who don’t currently have a 4G handset or SIM will be offered a new device at a reduced price.

Any customers in Durham who don’t upgrade to a 4G or 5G device before 3G is switched off will still be able to use voice calls and send text messages as they do now, but they would not be able to use mobile data.

The switch off in Durham is a key milestone in Virgin Media O2’s 3G switch off programme, and the company will use any lessons learned to inform the wider programme when 3G sites across the UK will be turned off, while also continuing to engage with consumer groups and charities such as Good Things Foundation to draw on their expertise and help manage the transition effectively.

The company’s 3G network, first launched more than 20 years ago, today carries less than 3% of all network data – a figure which continues to fall. The switch-off of this older technology – agreed by the Government and all mobile network operators in 2021 – allows providers like Virgin Media O2 to reallocate mobile spectrum to more efficient 4G and 5G services and improve customers’ experience with faster data speeds, more reliable streaming and higher quality voice calls. In the Durham area specifically, Virgin Media O2 has upgraded 4G and 5G masts over the past year, with further improvements planned in 2025.

Customers of virtual network operators that use Virgin Media O2’s mobile network – such as Tesco Mobile and giffgaff – will also be impacted by the switch-off and will be contacted directly by their provider.