Schedule published: This is how DNA’s 3G network will be shut down in 2023–2024

DNA announced the upcoming shutdown of the 3G network for the first time back in 2021. Preparations for the shutdown have been carried out in test and laboratory environments for years, and measures have been tested at individual base stations. The shutdown of Hyvinkää’s 3G networks in May 2023 also went successfully and according to plans, so the next step will be to start a phased 3G shutdown using the lessons learned from Hyvinkää. The region-specific schedule can be found at the end of this release.

The shutdown will affect all services that use solely the 3G network. Discontinued services will mainly be replaced by 4G and 5G solutions. Very old devices that are not compatible with 4G or 5G technology typically switch to using the 2G network. If the device supports VoLTE, or Voice over LTE, calls will continue to be made over the 4G network. If the phone does not support VoLTE, calls will be transferred to the 2G network after the 3G network has been shut down. All DNA 4G and 5G phone plans support VoLTE calls.

Less than one percent of mobile data on 3G

The use of the 3G network has decreased significantly in recent years. By the end of 2022, the 3G network accounted for under 1% of mobile data used by DNA’s customers. For the majority of customers, the shutdown of the 3G network will not appear as worse level of service – quite the opposite. When 3G frequencies become vacant, they can be used by newer network technologies. At the same time, as resources are freed up for the development of more efficient technologies, the 3G shutdown will eventually manifest itself to the customer as an improved user experience in the 4G and 5G networks.

Compared to the old technology, the 4G and 5G networks offer significantly more capacity, greater reliability and faster speeds for the ever-growing demand in mobile networks. The new network technology and its base stations are also significantly more energy-efficient than 3G in relation to the amount of data transferred. DNA’s 4G network covers nearly 100% of Finland’s residents. Correspondingly, the population coverage of the 5G network in June 2023 was already 89%, or approximately 4.9 million people.

When travelling abroad, it is worth noting that 3G networks are being and have been shut down all over the world. In some countries, 2G networks are also shut down or being phased out. In the United States, for example, many carriers only use 4G and 5G networks. If you are planning on travelling to the United States, your phone must support VoLTE roaming in order to make calls.

We recommend verifying that old devices will work

Old devices that are not compatible with 4G or 5G technology will typically switch to using 2G once the 3G network is shut down. This will likely mean a significant slowdown in data transfer speed. However, the slowdown is not necessarily noticeable in devices that transfer very little data, such as trail cameras.

“Now is a good time to make sure that your own device supports 4G or 5G technology. Almost all mobile devices that are not compatible with 4G are old models, typically at least 5–10 years old. In fact, in some cases of using the 3G network, the customer may have accidentally locked their phone in 3G mode. Therefore, if the 3G symbol is still consistently shown on the screen of your modern phone, it is worth checking the phone’s settings,” says Jarkko Laari, VP, Radio Networks.

If you are unsure about whether a device is compatible with 3G or 4G, look for the 4G icon on the device, the user manual or device display. If you see one, you can almost certainly assume that the device is compatible with 4G. The information can also be found by typing the device model in a search engine. Detailed instructions on checking the model number can be found on DNA’s support page for the shutdown of the 3G network (in Finnish). If the device is a 4G or 5G model but the Internet connection does not work after the 3G network is turned off, it is worth checking the phone settings to make sure that the device is not locked in 3G mode. If the device is a phone, also make sure that VoLTE technology is turned on in the settings.

Schedule: This is how the 3G network will be shut down

DNA will shut down its 3G network one region at a time, with the exception of Hyvinkää, where the 3G network has already been shut down. The region-specific schedule is presented below.

October 2023:

• Kanta-Häme
• Päijät-Häme

November 2023:

• Uusimaa
• Varsinais-Suomi

January 2024:

• Satakunta
• Pirkanmaa
• Keski-Suomi
• Pohjanmaa
• Etelä-Pohjanmaa
• Keski-Pohjanmaa

In eastern and northern Finland, the mobile networks used by DNA are designed, implemented and maintained by Finnish Shared Network, a joint network company established by DNA and Telia in 2014. The shutdown of Shared Network’s 3G network in eastern and northern Finland will take place during 2024. Finnish Shared Network will announce a more detailed schedule in early autumn.

Media enquiries:

Jarkko Laari, VP, Radio Networks, DNA Plc, tel. +358 (0)44 044 4949, jarkko.laari@dna.fi

DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 44 044 8000, communications@dna.fi

DNA’s support page for 3G shutdown: https://www.dna.fi/3g