Vodafone will switch off its 2G network from September next year, it has today advised.Set to decommission its legacy 2G GSM network on September 30, 2017, Vodafone stated that its 4G network now carries close to 80 per cent of its total data traffic.
Its 2G service, meanwhile, launched in 1993, now carries less than 1 per cent of data traffic and around 2 per cent of voice traffic.
Optus has previously advised that it will shut down its 2G network from April 1 next year, with Telstra shutting down its 2G network from December 1 this year.
“We want to be totally upfront and transparent with our customers by giving them advance notice of the closure of our 2G network late next year,” Vodafone acting chief technology officer Kevin Millroy stated. “We will work closely with our 2G customers to ensure this transition is as simple as possible.”
Vodafone states that since January 2013 more than 600,000 customers have stopped using 2G devices, helping clear the way to repurpose some 2G spectrum for 4G services, while its 4G network now covers more than 22 million Australians.
“We’ve invested billions of dollars in our network over recent years, and with our 4G network now reaching most Australians, more customers are taking advantage of the faster speeds on offer with 4G-compatible devices,” Millroy commented.
“We are continuing to enhance our network with features including voice over 4G, which provides clearer voice calls, shorter call connection times and the ability to use 4G data while making or receiving a call.
“With the Internet of Things (IoT) on our doorstep, it is paramount we manage spectrum efficiently and reallocate capacity to our more advanced networks to help more of our customers have a better experience.”
