Some providers are not waiting to 2033 though:
- Vodafone, are killing their 3G network by December 2023.
- EE (and therefore Plusnet and BT Mobile) are shutting theirs off in 2024.
- Three will be switching their 3G network off by the end of 2024.
- O2 haven't declared a timeframe as yet, so will likely adhere to the 2033 as their technology is found in a lot of 'Smart' meters around the UK.
But people often forget that there are millions of vehicles on the roads that use 3G for their telematics services, including emergency calls and emergency services in the even of a serious crash. Live data and traffic services will also be affected. Some manufacturers were still fitting 3G modems in vehicles up to 2021, rendering these immediately obsolete.
For owners of older telematics systems in vehicles where a physical SIM card is installed by the owner these are no longer going to work:
Personally, I'm awaiting a response back from Citroen HQ to see if my car will be affected. I was told they 'think' it has a 4G system, but will contact me when they can confirm this.For vehicles built before 2016, with radionavigation systems using a personal SIM card installed by the customer on the dedicated radio slot, Connected SOS and Assistance Services will cease operation.
Due to platform technical obsolescence which is beyond our control, leading to additional security risks and data breach vulnerabilities, we have no choice but to decommission these services starting 1st January, 2024.
