How will demise of 3G and 2G affect MoHo Equipment?

[Millcourt]

To free up radio spectrum to expand 5G capacity, the Government has agreed the phasing out in the UK of 3G and 2G cellular networks. Up-to-date information can be found at https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/the-uk-3g-network-switch-off-what-you-need-to-know-a28ou1e1RXJA . Most 3G will have gone by the end of 2023.

It seems, if I have understood it correctly, that Smart Meters which rely on outgoing 2G and 3G mobile signals to operate will become 'dumb' and be no better than the traditional devices they replaced. Smart meters apparently cannot handle 4G or 5G communication technology. Hope this does not prove to be another example of “non-joined up thinking” like the switch to diesel from petrol being better for the environment….. but causing the increase in cancer causing agents released into the atmosphere…..and the attempts to overcome this with Adblue etc.

Of particular concern to folk with Motorhomes, I wonder if the loss of the cellular connections needed for devices such as Truma iNet boxes, trackers etc will soon make them useless?

 

[Guigsy]

The industry have sounded alarms (pun intended) about shutting down 2G. Far too many low power devices use it. There was no equivalent low power communications technology until relatively recently (LTE-M and NB-IoT) and the supporting networks for them aren't widespread yet. 3G will be culled pretty quickly, but 2G will stick around for a while.

 

[cyberyacht]

More to the point if they focused on improving the existing 4G network instead of gilding a few geographically selective lilies.

 

[Guigsy]

More to the point if they focused on improving the existing 4G network instead of gilding a few geographically selective lilies.

5G has been completely mis-marketed. In most situations, it's no quicker than 4G. What it will do is allow more customers to connect and provide better reliability when you've got a poor signal. It makes better use of the existing frequencies. But those benefits aren't sexy.

 

[Pausim]

I expect my iNet box to cease working remotely when 2G goes. I am not sure about my Vodafone Automotive tracker but expect they will come up with their own solutions if it is affected.

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