3G technology is gradually being switched off in Latvia, old phones will lose internet

However, some people do not have adequate phones that can switch to 4G and 5G technologies.

The virtual blackout of 3G began last year with regions with the fewest people using the technology. While operators say the majority of the population will not be affected, there is a segment of people for whom the shutdown will mean problems.

The head of Tele2’s public relations department, Oskar Firmanis, noted that there are clients who have old SIM cards in their mobile phones that only work on the 3G network. If such a client uses mobile data or the Internet on the phone even a little, then following turning off the 3G network, the Internet on the phone may not work.

A 3G shutdown might also cause problems for residents in areas that straddle the border between 3G, 4G and 5G coverage. According to mobile operators, only a few percent of Latvian residents may experience such problems.

In recent years, data consumption on 4G and 5G networks has increased several times. After a complete 3G shutdown at the end of next year, the next step is planned to be a 2G shutdown.