I suppose if you look at it network by network...nobody would notice if O2 or VOD turned off 3G. In the 3 places that they rolled it out, they are replacing it with 4G before they do anything else. Most of their customers will not have benefited from 3G anyway as they didn't bother with it. EE are pushing out 4G on the same frequencies as 3G pretty quickly so it's only the core of users with non 4G phones that would notice once rollout is further advanced. Three the same really although they may soon have access to O2's 900 2G which will suddenly allow their customers to make actual voice calls which will be a novelty.
Obviously turning off 3G tomorrow would land a lot of people in it but I think that turning off 2G would cause more issues. How many built in car phones work on 2G? I'm thinking taxi drivers and the like again. Do people who need solid voice and nothing else really use much 3G? Maybe but 2G would cover them. Doubtless many have a smartphone in their pocket but I bet for business coms, most use the best 2G network in their area, probably VOD / O2. 4G may change that but 3G never will.
Obviously turning off 3G tomorrow would land a lot of people in it but I think that turning off 2G would cause more issues. How many built in car phones work on 2G? I'm thinking taxi drivers and the like again. Do people who need solid voice and nothing else really use much 3G? Maybe but 2G would cover them. Doubtless many have a smartphone in their pocket but I bet for business coms, most use the best 2G network in their area, probably VOD / O2. 4G may change that but 3G never will.




