Help with 2G (GSM) services - where?

Hi ​@8EST Cymru,
 

Thank you for your question and for taking the time to explain your situation. We completely understand how important voice calls are, and we apologise for the frustration caused by the unavailability of 2G services.

While 2G (GSM) technology still exists, many networks in the UK including Three have begun phasing out 2G and 3G in certain areas to prioritise 4G and 5G services. Some operators, such as Vodafone, continue to maintain 2G coverage in limited areas, primarily to support older devices or IoT applications.

For iD Mobile specifically, 2G is not available, and all voice calls are carried over 4G (VoLTE) or 5G networks. We appreciate that this may be inconvenient if your device or location does not fully support these technologies.

We are always looking for ways to improve our information and guidance, and we will pass your feedback on regarding updating the website to clarify which services are currently supported.

In the meantime, if you continue to experience issues with voice calls, we recommend:

• Ensuring your device supports VoLTE
• Checking that 4G is enabled in your mobile settings
• Restarting your device to refresh network connectivity

We apologise again for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.

Owethu

My understanding is that Three haven’t meerly ‘begun phasing out 2G and 3G’ but have completed the process (and never even had a 2G network of their own to switch-off, having launched with only 3G infrustructure, hence the name ‘Three’). If I recall correctly, at first they had a deal allowing their customers to use the 2G service provided one of the other UK networks but I think that was terminated some time ago (or perhaps wasn’t available to iD as a ‘virtual’ network (MNVO)).

While Ofcom confirms that Vodafone’s 2G network is to be phased out, this currently appears to be timetabled for 2030 (still four years away, as of now). Furthermore, I thought that, in both wired and mobile communications, the trend has been that newer technologies have delivered higher data rates, but over shorter distances? For example, Gigabit Ethernet (1000-BASE-T) is massively faster than the mere 10mbps of the original (and now deprecated) Ethernet standard based on thick coaxial cable (10-BASE-5). However, while 10-BASE-5 could be deployed with cable runs of up to 500meters, isn’t the newer standard limited to 100metre runs? Similarly, aren’t 5G deployments based on lots of small transmitters, each covering a small area compared to the relatively few large towers needed to provide 2G signal across a wide area? On this basis; I’m half expecting a new technology will need to emerge to replace 2G in rural areas and I’m hope I can hang on to my current device (which I don’t think supports 5G, but does have at least some 4G capabilities) until it does. 

Could you explain how this works in more detail please? Newly-merged VodafoneThree are advertising a Multi-Operator Core Network which, they say, will allow any of their customers to connect to either a Vodafone or a Three mast. Does this not extend to MNVOs (other than those which are not owned by VodafoneThree)?

Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find a switch to enable VoLTE (or 4G Calling) mode in the Settings menu of my Andriod phone (I’ve also tried putting my iD SIM in somebody else’s phone (they’re on EE, and I can see a 4G Calling switch but greyed out (locked in the ON position)) for testing and the 4G Calling switch simply disappears until I put their EE SIM back).

You won’t ever have access to 2G because the SIMs are not provisioned to use it.

Thank you for your reply, although it does throw up some more questions:

1. Is your statement specific to iD SIMs, or does the same also apply to Smarty and Three customers? *
2. Is it possible that I previously had access to 2G through iD Mobile (via the deal I think Three used to have with Orange/O2 for areas without Three’s 3G network), given that I live in rural Wales and have been with iD Mobile since at least 2019? ** 

* Smarty (a MVNO) and Three are of course now both part of the VodafoneThree empire, suggesting they now have 2G masts within a MOCN (at least in theory with my extremely limited knowledge of the subject) but were previously without a 2G network.

** I think I obtained my first iD SIM from a Carphone Warehouse, before they closed their standalone shops 

Hi ​@8EST Cymru 

Regarding iD Mobile specifically, our SIM cards no longer support 2G as they did in the past. I can’t speak for Smarty or Three customers, as that depends on how their SIMs are configured and which network they connect to. iD Mobile now primarily operates on 4G and 5G.

In your area in Wales, is it that only 2G coverage is available, with no 4G or 5G signal?

Michael Z