topic Re: I was just interested what would happen to 3g masts after 3g shutdown? in Mobile Network discussions

I was just interested what would happen to 3g masts after 3g shutdown?

George00 — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 19:33:47 GMT

Hi,

I had just wondered what was going to happen to the 3G cell towers after the 3G shutdown happened?

I can't imagine anyone taking them down straight away but they can't really stay there forever can they? Would they just be taken down over a period of a few years?

Thanks

Re: I was just interested what would happen to 3g masts after 3g shutdown?

bristolian — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 19:52:06 GMT

There's no such thing as a 3G mast - EE have network sites which carry multiple radio technologies from 2G through to 5G.

There's been no new 3G deployment for several years now, but the 3G kit on existing sites will be decommissioned and the other technologies (2G, 4G, 5G or a combination) will continue as they are now.

Re: I was just interested what would happen to 3g masts after 3g shutdown?

George00 — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 20:10:50 GMT

So the 3G equipment will be moved to 5G? Is it that simple or do they need to do anything else?

Re: I was just interested what would happen to 3g masts after 3g shutdown?

George00 — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 20:12:28 GMT

Or are they simply going to get switched off and discontinued?

Re: I was just interested what would happen to 3g masts after 3g shutdown?

Chris_B — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 20:20:35 GMT

@George00 the 3G system will be removed. The masts also have 2G 4G and 5G on them. Masts will not be removed because of the 3G switch off.

Re: I was just interested what would happen to 3g masts after 3g shutdown?

bristolian — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 20:30:49 GMT

The radio equipment itself is technology-specific, but the radio spectrum it operates on is being re-farmed.

So the 3G modules on each site will be decomissioned and eventually removed. The radio spectrum used by 3G - 2100Mz - is already being used for 4G & 5G services.

No radio site will be decomissioned as a result of the 3G switchoff - the stuctures themselves have never been technology-specific. Orange went through a stage of only installing 3G on new sites quite some years ago, but those all had 2G installed afterwards, and have had later technologies installed subequently.