A Vodafone confirmed that, from July 2024, it will progressively start to disconnect the 3G signal from its network. The company emphasizes that this measure will help to take “an important step towards strengthening the access of Customers in the country to faster, more efficient and even more secure communications”.
According to the company, this measure will make it possible to respond to the needs of consumers in terms of data use, taking advantage of the signal frequencies used by 3G to improve the existing 4G and 5G. The company stresses that “with this update, which benefits the digitalization of the country, communications gain more speed, capacity, stability, efficiency and resilience.”
The company believes that most customers will not be affected by this process, as they are already on devices and SIM cards compatible with the latest networks. However, for customers who are not in this situation, they will be contacted in good time by Vodafone and will have an extended period – one year – to make a gradual transition, either by updating their equipment or SIM card.
3G, pioneered by Vodafone in Portugal in 2004, helped bring about a revolution in its time, by allowing faster mobile internet access and video streaming on mobile phones, for example. But, in recent years, it has substantially reduced its weight in global data traffic, which today is small. In addition, the network equipment that allows it to function is currently less energy efficient, so its modernization and replacement will have a positive environmental impact.
The closure of the 3G network in Portugal follows similar moves carried out by Vodafone in markets such as the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, the United Kingdom or Ireland, which are part of a worldwide trend of discontinuing older technologies.
