The target date lies just over two decades after the network was originally launched on 03.03.03, with the network going live later that month.
The operator said that its “significant investments” in 4G and 5G would allow it to end 3G support entirely. The firm purchased sizable chunks of 5G spectrum bands in 2018 to boost its capacity.
Vodafone has already announced that it will switch off its 3G network even earlier – by the end of 2023 – and EE also has similar plans for the same year.
Three said that turning off 3G will allow it to focus investments and spectrum resources on further improving 4G customer experience, while rolling out 5G, A new study sponsored by the network found that that 5G usage in the UK has already exceeded 3G, and predicts it will account for 35 per cent of data usage by the end of 2022.
Currently, Three covers 99 per cent of the UK outdoor population with its combined 3G and 4G network and carries 28 per cent of mobile data...