What was once the future is now clearly the past, as more and more countries see their 3G mobile phone networks shutting down as old technology and to allow the bandwidth to be repurposed for 5G and other advanced networks.
For travelers who have held on to old phones to use with pre-paid SIM cards as they travel, this may signal a need for a new phone or a new look at international plans from their home carriers. For locals in countries where the switch is happening, it may mean the need for a new phone, but phone operators in most of Southeast Asia and North America have relatively few customers still using 3G or 2G services.
In Europe, a number of countries have announced shutdown plans starting in 2025 to 2028, but Portugal is moving faster. 3G networks in Portugal started shutting down Monday in the Bragança, Vila Real, Viseu and Guarda regions, with the rest to shut down in stages, with the cutoff complete by January 1st.
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