There are three operators in the Greek mobile market: Nova (formerly known as Wind Hellas), Vodafone Greece and Cosmote. And they all decided to turn off 3G networks. And some of them even completed this process. Below are all the details.
Nova to shut down 3G in March
The Greek fixed and mobile operator Nova announces its intention to completely shut down its 3G networks by the end of March.
Communication services in this standard will be gradually disconnected from region to region: the process will begin in Macedonia and Thrace in mid-February and end in March in Attica.
The frequency resource used by 3G networks will be redistributed for 4G and 5G networks. At the same time, the company noted that its 2G network will continue to work to ensure the connection of customers using older phones.
In addition, on August 16, 2021, it was announced that the United Group, which owns Nova, acquired Wind Hellas for approximately 1 billion euros. On January 2, 2023, the takeover procedure was completed. Thus, from January 11 this year, the Wind Hellas brand name was changed to Nova.
Vodafone Greece starts decommissioning 3G network
Vodafone Greece informs its customers about the beginning of the process of phasing out the 3G network. It is expected to be completed across the country in the first half of 2023.
Subscribers are advised to check the type of technology that their gadgets support (2G, 3G, 4G or 5G), as well as the type of their SIM card. This can be done at any Vodafone network store. Vodafone guarantees that all subscribers using old SIM cards will be able to replace them immediately and free of charge at the same points. Internet access will be provided through 4G and 5G networks using U-SIM cards. Voice and messaging (SMS) services will not be affected by this process and will continue to operate as normal.
Contract subscribers connected under the Kartoprogrammatos program and subscribers of prepaid services connected under the Kartokinitis program, who are affected by the shutdown of 3G networks in a particular region, have the right to terminate their contract. They can do this without warning within two months from the date of the technology shutdown, which they will be informed about via SMS.
Cosmote has already disabled 3G
Greek telecommunications company Cosmote is the only operator that has already turned off 3G . The process of shutting down 3G mobile networks was launched in September 2021 and completed by the end of the same year.
The frequency resource freed up in this way is used to expand 4G and 5G networks.
Cosmote claims that its 4G network covers 99% of the Greek population, and 5G network coverage has already reached 80%. The company’s 2G network continues to operate to support voice and SMS services.
We recently reported that the UK is starting to shut down 3G networks , and carriers in the United States have already shut down all 3G networks altogether .
Source: https://mediasat.info/