THE COMMERCIAL AND TECHNICAL RISKS OF THE UK 3G NETWORK SHUTDOWN
Sandy Powell discusses the phasing out of 3G
The UK’s mobile operators have largely completed the shutdown of 3G networks, with Vodafone, EE and Three ending services by 2024 and O2 completing its phase-out in 2025. This transition frees the spectrum for 4G and 5G but introduces significant commercial and technical risks for sectors reliant on mobile connectivity, such as construction and surveying.
- Equipment upgrades: Older GNSS receivers and controllers still depend on 3G modems for RTK corrections. Upgrading to 4G-enabled devices or external modems adds unplanned capital expenditure.
- Service disruption: Projects that fail to plan for connectivity changes risk downtime, impacting productivity and contractual deadlines.
- Increased project costs: Alternative solutions, such as deploying site-based base stations and UHF radios, require additional hardware, setup time and skilled labour.
- Coverage gaps: While 4G coverage reaches UK landmass from at least one provider, rural and remote areas remain challenging. The government’s target of 95% coverage by the end of 2025 is ‘unlikely’ to be fully met, leaving some regions underserved.
- 5G availability: 5G coverage is improving but still only reaches about 62% of the UK as of early 2025, concentrated in urban centres.
- RTK reliability: Cellular RTK corrections depend on stable, low-latency data links. In rural areas with weak or intermittent 4G, achieving centimetre-level accuracy is impractical. While fallback to 2G is possible, its slower speeds and patchy coverage make it unsuitable for real-time corrections.
Projects located outside dense urban areas cannot rely solely on cellular RTK. To maintain accuracy and avoid costly delays:
- Plan for local base stations: Traditional site-based GNSS base stations with UHF radio links remain essential for rural or low cellular coverage area projects.
- Budget for additional infrastructure: Include costs for base station hardware, radio licensing and skilled setup in project estimates.
- Upgrade equipment: Ensure GNSS rovers and controllers support 4G LTE or have wifi hotspot fallback options.
In summary, the 3G shutdown accelerates the UK’s move toward more modern networks but exposes gaps in rural connectivity. For GNSS RTK-dependent projects, proactive planning and investment in alternative correction methods are crucial to mitigate operational and financial risks.
