#3g

[2026-01-25 image ©VMO2] It is unusual for commentators to feel sorry for a mobile company but may (including the author) feel sorry for O2. They seem to be getting criticism for the switch off of 3G in the press and on the TV. This is despite the other two companies switching off 3G at the end of 2025, without much comment.

There is a lot of nonsense written about the consequences of the 3G switch off. The only service that will disappear is the data on the 3G network. The 3G data service is (or was) so slow and not really capable of delivering web site which have grown massively within the time since 3G was initiated (2000).

3G did not have it's own phone system, users were connected to the 2G phone system. SMS was also not a 3G service. Anyone with a 3G phone can keep it and it will work for calls and SMS; which is all most 3G users are using it for.

Many confuse the 3G switch off with the 2G switch off, due for 2030. This will cause many more problems and many IoT systems are still on 2G including alarm systems and health management monitors. The operators of these systems have been slow to move these away from 2G onto 4G. VodafoneThree , O2 and EE are starting to plan the move away from 2G - initially identifying the issues, including the move of anyone who uses the 2G phone network onto 4G as well as the IoT systems on 2G.

Grim fucking hates when Gristle does this. Esp if he finds out Gristle ate some that day only AFTER kissing Grim

He does it on purpose because he thinks Grims reactions about it are funny. Gnarly finds it funny too and isnt bothered at all by Gristles meat habits

They are all assholes to each other in some ways for their own amusement. Gnarly leaves his stuff everywhere even though it pisses both his boyfriends off(so he does it on purpose sometimes if hes mad at them)

Sometimes when Grim is super mad at Gristle, he’ll go hide one of Gristle’s beanie babys and refuse to tell him where it is until Gris apologizes.

Like is any if this healthy? No but it works for them.

[2025-12-07 image © uctel] Vodafone, EE and Three have now switched off their 3G networks. O2 are in the process of doing so and plan to switch their 3G network off by the end of the year.

Just this week O2 announced that their 3G network will stay for a further 6 months for a specific set of customers. And it is all to do with Smart Energy Meters. In the North of England and Scotland the wireless transmission of the smart wireless signal was sent over the Arqiva network and not the O2 2G network. However there are some places largely in rural areas where the Arqiva network cannot reach.

These areas have been given special permission to have their smart meter running on O2 2G / 3G. Those with a 2G connection are OK until 2G is switched off at the end of the decade. But the very few on 3G (because there is nothing else) would have a 'dumb' smart meter. Now OfCOM have given permission for these customers to keep their 3G powered smart meter until mid 2026. This should give DCC, the organisation for smart meters in the UK, the time to swap meters to 4G. This assumes they have a 4G signal!

like how Grim is really really into booktok and gets into arguments and fights on there constantly and he has a splatterpunk series that is a cult classic in that circle....that he didn't write. even thinking of things like that flips his stomach. it was actually ghostwritten by gristle and gnarly(they had fun doing it. genuinely just smoking weed and drinking and going like OH WOULDNT IT BE FUCKED UP IF THIS HAPPENED LMAOOOO PUT IT IN)

what Grim actually writes is deep emotional romance novels. But those get published under a penname. Hes so embarrassed so the only people who will ever know are his boyfriends. But he enjoys it. He doesn't want either of them to actually read them. They both have, but they'll never tell him. (But they were both insanely impressed by how good it was.)

if only he could stop getting into fights with 40 year olds on Booktok.

[2025-09-21 image ©uctel] I feel sorry for O2, and reading comments on various sites many other do. Currently O2 are in the process of switching off 3G, something the other networks completed a number of months ago. The reality is that very very few people use 3G and the mobile operators with approval from OfCom are saying goodbye to 3G and will be using the frequencies for 4G. Whilst the mobile companies can invest in masts and infrastructure one significant issue is the limit of suitable frequencies to deliver mobile technology. 3G takes some really useful bandwidth, and not being used this is a good opportunity to refarm these frequencies.

Whilst there was some kickback when the other companies cut their 3G frequency, there seems to be numerous headlines about the issues of the 3G switch off by O2 For mobile phone customers, the phone and text service is a 2G function and to use 3G to see web pages is just impossible. Additionally O2 are offering customers good deals to upgrade their phone to 4G. [A simple 4G phone casts less than £100, reduced by O2 for 3G customers].

But the main issue seems to be devices, health and community alarms that use 3G and will not work once the switch off. The question is why have the alarm providers waited until the last minute to do something when they have known about the 3G switch off for years. Most modern community alarms use 4G and yes it is a cost to swap the 3G alarm to a 4G alarm. These companies must get a grip and make the change now.

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