Council releases findings on impact of 3G switch-off in Northumberland

The data shows that Vodafone is now providing 'essential coverage' across 92% of locations in Northumberland, up by 3%, and Vodafone’s average download and upload speeds are faster by approximately 10% after the switch off.

These results align with Vodafone's assurance in February, that repurposing the 3G range for 4G/5G usage would enhance services for customers.

Following concerns raised by residents regarding potential disruptions to mobile networks after the 3G switch-off, the county council has been working with mobile network analysts Streetwave, to collect comprehensive data on the coverage, speed, and phone signal quality in the county.

Since November 2023, weekly data has been collected using state-of-the-art mobile monitoring equipment installed in council waste collection vehicles.

Cllr Richard Wearmouth, deputy leader and cabinet member for corporate services at Northumberland County Council said: "Ensuring our residents have access to dependable mobile signal is a key priority for the council. It’s fantastic to see that Vodafone’s 3G switch-off is benefiting our communities."

The initiative is being spearheaded by the iNorthumberland and Local Services teams at the council who are working together to collect comprehensive data on coverage, speed, and phone signal quality which will be used to generate valuable, transparent and actionable data insights and coverage maps.

Looking ahead, the council will continue to monitor the switch-off of Three and O2's networks, scheduled to take place in late 2024 and 2025. Notably, no impacts from EE's 3G switch-off were measured as no 3G connections were detected during the surveys across Northumberland.