UK: 3G is gone, 2G goes from 2029

1. DoneAll UK mobile networks have finished switching off 3G [1]
2. From May 2029EE plans to begin switching off 2G [1]
3. From summer 2029O2 plans to begin switching off 2G [1]
4. During 2030Vodafone plans to switch off 2G [1]
5. ThreeHas no 2G network [1]

US: 3G was retired

The FCC has a consumer guide on the phase-out of 3G networks [2]. US carriers shut down 3G in 2022, and the FCC warns that some older 4G phones that cannot make calls over 4G (VoLTE) were also affected. unverified: our fetch of the FCC page timed out on 26 October 2026, so check the page yourself.

Check the bands, not just "4G"

"4G" on the box is not enough. A phone has to support the LTE bands your carrier uses. For example, the international Nokia 3210 4G supports only one of the main US LTE bands (band 5), according to altphones.com [3]. US-market phones list US bands: TCL lists bands 2/4/5/12/13/66/41 for the Flip 3 [4], and Mudita sells a separate North America version of the Kompakt [5].

Quick checklist

1. Find the phone's LTE bands on the maker's spec page.
2. Compare them with your carrier's bands, or use the carrier's compatibility checker.
3. Confirm VoLTE support with your carrier.
4. In the UK, buy 4G; 3G-only phones no longer work.

Sources

1. 2G and 3G switch-off: our expectations of mobile providers – Ofcom (updated 29 May 2026) — https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/2g-and-3g-switch-off-our-expectations-of-mobile-providers (checked 2026-10-26)
2. Plan ahead for phase out of 3G cellular networks – FCC (fetch timed out; re-check) — https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/plan-ahead-phase-out-3g-cellular-networks-and-service (checked 2026-10-26)
3. Nokia 3210 4G: specs, US use – altphones.com (secondary source, reviewed Oct 15 2026) — https://altphones.com/nokia-3210-4g/ (checked 2026-10-26)
4. TCL Flip 3 product page, TCL US — https://us.tcl.com/products/flip-3 (checked 2026-10-26)
5. Mudita Kompakt (North America) store page, Mudita — https://store.mudita.com/mudita-kompakt-north-america (checked 2026-10-26)

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the linked sources by a human editor. AI disclosure · Facts last checked 26 October 2026. Found an error? Tell us.