Study Finds UK’s Three 3G Shutdowns Increased, But Hurt Coverage

mobile network analyst firm street wave It used data collected from across Northumberland (England) and Ceredigion (Wales) to examine the recently shut down internet. 3G mobile services in these regions three englandThis resulted in the average (average) mobile broadband download speed increasing by 22%, but “Basic Scope”Decreased by 8%.

In case anyone forgets, three england needs to fully complete the process of shutting down their old devices 3G network by the end of 2024 (Here). Mobile operators often compensate for 3G shutdowns in some regions by offering upgrades to newer 4G and 5G services. The removal of 3G also freed up some of the radio spectrum, which could be realigned for the use of these modern services that could improve network performance.

NOTES: Streetwave collected over 658,000 data points across the Three UK mobile network in Northumberland and Ceredigion between July 2024 and October 2024, recording measurements from all network generations (2G-5G).

However, so far none of the mobile network operators have published any solid evidence showing the practical and statistical effects of 3G shutdown; This is what makes the latest data from Streetwave so useful when checking its claims. Not to mention, the company’s approach to this type of testing goes much deeper and is more accurate than many other studies.

Streetwave uses bin (truck) collections to map mobile coverage and performance in both areas, in collaboration with local authorities. In this setup, litter collection vehicles are set up with four off-the-shelf smartphones that run continuous tests for signal coverage and network performance (every 20 meters in rural areas and every 5 meters in urban areas) using Streetwave’s software. Vehicles follow their routes.

The latest study was launched following concerns raised by residents about possible disruptions to mobile networks following the 3G shutdown. The results reveal that the percentage of connections made via 3G on Three UK’s network in Northumberland and Ceredigion fell from an average of 6% to 1% during the data collection period.

But the data also shows that as Three’s 3G connections drop, average throughput speeds increase but ‘Basic Coverage’ decreases. Streetwave provides Basic Coverage, where the network provides users with connectivity that allows for download speeds of over 1 Mbps, upload speeds of 0.5 Mbps, and latency below 100 ms (milliseconds) (i.e. covering or allowing only the most basic use cases/needs). defines it as something that reflects the positions it provides.

Results

Average download speeds experienced by users increased by 19% in Ceredigion and 25% in Northumberland. Similarly, average upload speeds experienced by users in Ceredigion increased by 19%, but average upload speeds in Northumberland remained unchanged. But ‘Core Coverage’ for Three’s network fell across both councils during the study period; Between July and October it fell 5% in Ceredigion and 8% in Northumberland.

Streetwave said they carried out a similar survey with Norfolk County Council to assess the impact of Three shutting down 3G in Norwich. However, no 3G connection was made by Streetwave’s data collection equipment in July or October 2024, meaning they were unable to create a comparison for that region. In any case, the shutdown is still ongoing in other regions and Streetwave plans to continue monitoring relevant developments.

The company had previously published a similar study. vodafoneThe 3G switch-off, albeit only in Northumberland, revealed the operator was providing ‘Basic Coverage’ to 92% of locations in Northumberland (up 3%), and average mobile (data) download and upload speeds were also faster after the switch-off by about 10% (Here).

However, it is worth noting that we do not yet know what kind of fundamental change these areas typically experience over a longer period of time; This makes it difficult to be sure that all these differences can be directly attributed to the 3G transition. closed. Various other impacts such as tourism (networks often increase capacity during peak periods) and general network upgrades will also play a role.