Virgin Media O2 has confirmed that it will complete the switch off of its 3G network in the "coming weeks" in the UK.
In a blog post, Jeanie York, Virgin Media O2 chief technology officer confirmed the telco will call time on the technology early next year. O2 launched its 3G network more than 20 years ago.
The telco will become the last of the UK's mobile network operators to shutdown 3G, following Three, which switched off its 3G network late last month.
Rival carriers EE and Vodafone shut down their 3G networks early last year.
Virgin Media started its 3G switch off in April, and has already retired the network in Scotland.
The telco, which first revealed its plans to retire its 3G network in 2023, noted that the switch-off will free up additional spectrum for its 4G and 5G networks.
"Our 3G network has already been withdrawn across many UK locations, with the final areas set to follow shortly," noted York.
"You may still see a 3G signal in some places for a short period in early 2026, but the network will soon be switched off entirely, so I’d like to take this opportunity to urge anybody who is still using a 3G-only handset to please visit your local store, or call us, to upgrade as soon as possible."
York points out that Virgin Media O2's 3G network accounts for less than two percent of mobile data usage on its network.
The operator is instead focusing on the build-out of its 4G and 5G mobile networks.
Earlier this year, the telco announced plans to invest £700 million ($934m) into its mobile network this year in an effort to improve its reliability, speed, and coverage across the UK.
