Vodafone Ireland has confirmed plans to phase out its 3G mobile network as moves its entire network to 4G and 5G services, reports The Irish Times.
A major investment and upgrade programme will launch later in 2022 to upgrade the 3G network to faster mobile services. This will provide a more reliable network for customers, and make the network more energy efficient and sustainable. Vodafone said that around 6 percent of network data is carried on the 3G network, with the upgrade to be implemented on a phased basis. Vodafone Ireland CEO Anne O'Leary said the upgrade would enable the operator to provide customers with the best and most reliable network coverage nationwide.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/vodaf ... k--1429705
Orange Belgium also confirmed the start of the phase-out of its 3G technology from mid-2023. The operator said the shutdown will free up spectrum for "safer, more resilient, energy-efficient and more modern technologies".
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/orang ... g--1428486
Magyar Telekom's network transformation and modernisation will enter its final phase in the second half of June. During this stage, the mobile operator will disconnect its 3G base stations nationwide. Magyar Telekom's 3G network will no longer be available anywhere from 1 July.
Thereafter, the 4G network will continue to be available to customers for both voice and data traffic. Voice traffic for customers with up to 3G devices can be taken over by the existing 2G network. Telekom has notified the most affected customers of the changes via SMS about the changes.
The operation is expected to affect an extremely small proportion of subscribers. The freed up resources will be redeployed to improve the quality of services used by the vast majority of end-users.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/magya ... e--1428018
Telecom Italia (TIM) intends to begin switching off its 3G network this month and will complete the process by mid-October, according to a new dedicated section of its website setting out the migration dates for municipalities throughout Italy. TIM had intended to begin shutting down its third-generation in April but communications regulator Agcom ordered the company to delay the starting date to ensure maximum support to MVNOs hosted on its network and inform customers impacted by the move in good time.
The regulator said TIM, its second brand Kena and MVNOs on its network (including Fastweb, Tiscali, Vianova and CoopVoce) will be required to inform customers about their right of penalty-free withdrawal. TIM was also told to send a new version of the rescheduled 3G network shutdown plan to Agcom, the Ministry for Economic Development and the MVNOs hosted on its network.
The company said the gradual shutdown of its 3G network will now begin on 13 June, allowing it to free up spectrum for 4G-LTE with a view to enhancing both 4G and 5G in the future.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/tim-t ... r--1427345
Telia Lithuania has completed the first stage of its programme to switch off its 3G network. Around a third of the operator's 3G base stations were disconnected by the end of May; there are no longer 3G services in around half the country's area. Telia Lithuania had 3,500 3G base stations across the country.
The second stage of the programme will start in the fall, carried out in major cities.
Telia Lithuania first launched 3G services in 2006.
https://www.telecompaper.com/news/telia ... n--1426496