Scroll to the bottom for a full list of affected phones (Picture: Getty)
People who use certain phone handsets risk losing access to mobile internet in a switch-off coming in three months.
Virgin Media O2 has started directly contacting customers affecting to tell them their phones will soon stop working.
It affects those who still use older smartphones, which rely on 3G, so if you’ve started struggling to update your apps lately… maybe it could be you.
The governent is phasing out all 3G connectivity by 2033, to focus on better connectivity for 4G, 5G, and in the future 6G.
As part of this, networks are removing their support for 3G and for some, this will take effect in April.
While this only affects a small proportion of customers, across the county it could still be hundreds of thousands of people given that 3% of network data still runs on 3G.
The whole country will not lose access at the same time, in order to troubleshoot any issues before pulling the plug entirely. The area drawing the short straw as the first to lose access will be Durham.
iPhone 5 users in Durham, beware (Picture: Getty)
Virgin Media O2 said: ‘While the vast majority of customers will not have to take any action as a result of the switch off, the company has started directly contacting the small proportion of customers in the area who don’t currently have a 4G or 5G device to let them know that, from April, they will require a 4G SIM and handset to continue using mobile data.’
To reduce the impact, they said that ‘known vulnerable customers’ have been offered a phone that can support 4G free of change, while others without a 4G handset ‘will be offered a new device at a reduced price’.
So would your phone be affected in the 3G switchoff?
Maybe, if you’ve had it for a while.
You’d really have to have been a very careful owner to still have a working iPhone 5, however, given it was released in 2012 which is pushing 13 years (and the average smartphone lifespan is around two to eight years).
Older Samsung Galaxies are also in for the chop (Picture: Getty)
For Samsung, it’s anything before the Galaxy Ace 4, which came out in 2014.
We’ve included a full list below, but essentially if your phone is more than ten years old, you might lose access to mobile internet.
Bear in mind that this is only about mobile data, so you will still be able to call people and send SMS text messages.
Virgin said that 4G and 5G masts in Durham had been upgraded over the past year, with further improvements planned in 2025.
Confusingly, customers will also still be able to use 2G, as this won’t be switched off until later. This is because the 2G networks have been in use since the 1990s and are used for SMS and phone calls, as well as basic email capability. As these are more essential functions of a phone, the transition will be more gradual.
Full list of devices not compatible with 4G
The network provider gave a list of all the handsets which are affected, along with more information if you’re worried.
These are the models which will lose access to data:
iPhone
Apple iPhone 1 Generation, Apple iPhone 3G, Apple iPhone 3GS, Apple iPhone 4, Apple iPhone 4S, Apple iPhone 5, Apple iPhone 5C, Apple iPhone 5S
Samsung
Samsung ZV60, Samsung Binou, Samsung GT-C3592, Samsung SGH-X830, Samsung BEAT S, Samsung Galaxy Fame, Samsung SGH-E630, Samsung SGH-J600, Samsung SLIDER, Samsung BEAT DJ, Samsung Armani, Samsung Marvel, Samsung Galaxy Ace Style, Samsung GT-E2100B, Samsung SGH-F110, Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
Sony
Sony Ericsson WT13I, Sony Ericsson W705, Sony Ericsson Rachael, Sony Ericsson T650I, Sony Ericsson VIVAZ PRO, Sony Ericsson W715, Sony Xperia M2, Sony Ericsson W700I, Sony Ericsson W580C, Sony Ericsson W760I, Sony Xperia Z2, Sony Xperia L, Sony Xperia E
Oneplus
Oneplus One, Oneplus 2, Oneplus X
LG
LG Calisto, LG Pop, LG Prada, LG Town, LG Cookie Lite, LG A140, LG A133, LG G5400, LG Viewty Smart, LG KF600, LG KF700, LG Optimus Chat, LG L40, LG KE500, LG L343I, LG X Screen, LG KF310, LG New Chocolate, LG KG130, LG G1600
Doro
Doro 6620, Doro 1380, Doro 2404, Doro 6521, Doro 6040, Doro PRIMO 805, Doro 1370, Doro PHONEEASY 612, Doro 6520, Doro 6530, Doro PRIMO 401, Doro 2424, Doro 6051, Doro LIBERTO 810
Google
Google Galaxy Nexus, Google Nexus 4, Google Nexus S, Google ONE M8 Google PLAY EDITION, Google Nexus 5, Google Nexus 7, Google Nexus ONE
Xiaomi
Xiaomi MI A1, Xiaomi MI 3, Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 Pro, Xiaomi MI 5C, Xiaomi Redmi, Xiaomi Redmi 1S, Xiaomi MI 1S, Xiaomi MI 4 LTE
OPPO
OPPO N1T, R7 Plus F, Find 7 Mini, A113K, R7, Find 7A, Joy, R7 Plus, R7S, 1107, A125
Huawei
Huawei U8660, Huawei Honor 6X, Huawei Ascend G620S, Huawei G7300, Huawei Ideos X1, Huawei Honor 7, Huawei HONOR G Play, Huawei P8, Huawei U8850, Huawei Ascend G7, Huawei U5110, Huawei Ascend Y300, Huawei Honor, Huawei Sonic, Huawei Honor 5X, Huawei Ascend G510, Huawei Ascend P6
Motorola
Motorola MOTO E, Motorola EM30, Motorola Motokey Social, Motorola Flipout, Motorola Rokr E8, Motorola WX160, Motorola Razr2 V8, Motorola MOTOLUXE, Motorola V171, Motorola T722I, Motorola RAZR I, Motorola E365, Motorola ES405B, Motorola M930, Motorola Z6, Motorola EX211, Motorola M3588, Motorola STARTAC 130, Motorola V975, Motorola C118V
Nokia
Nokia 220, Nokia 106.1, Nokia C2-01, Nokia Lumia 925, Nokia 110, Nokia 5140, Nokia 3000, Nokia Lumia 735, Nokia 216, Nokia Asha 201, Nokia Lumia 610, Nokia 106, Nokia 7200, Nokia 6310I, Nokia 6500 Classic, Nokia C3-01I, Nokia E5-00, Nokia 8890, Nokia 105, Nokia 6700 Classic, Nokia 6310, Nokia 3.1 PLUS, Nokia 6301, Nokia C6-01, Nokia 8250, Nokia 105 2022, Nokia 2310, Nokia 2330 Classic
Alcatel
Alcatel One Touch 990, Alcatel One Touch 255, Alcatel One Touch 710, Alcatel 2003, Alcatel One Touch 665, Alcatel One Touch 1046G, Alcatel One Touch 660, Alcatel One Touch PIXI 3 (4.5), Alcatel 2051X, Alcatel 1030X, Alcatel 1068, Alcatel One Touch 2000X, Alcatel One Touch Idol 3 4.7, Alcatel X230D, Alcatel 1060, Alcatel One Touch POP C1, Alcatel One Touch 2005X, Alcatel One Touch 322, Alcatel 3025, Alcatel 1C, Alcatel 3C, Alcatel 2057, Alcatel One Touch 810F, Alcatel One Touch Xtra, Alcatel A3 Plus, Alcatel One Touch 2045, Alcatel OT-E227, Alcatel One Touch 1013X, Alcatel One Touch 209, Alcatel One Touch 232, Alcatel One Touch 363, Alcatel One Touch Tpop
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