New Zealand operator 2degrees moved ahead with plans to shut down its 3G network, with the service to be decommissioned on around 100 sites this month, and rivals to follow in the coming months.

CEO Mark Callander explained in a statement it has reached out to all impacted customers about the need to upgrade older devices, adding the impact on users still relying on 3G in Rural Connectivity Group network areas is likely to be minimal as 3G usage on its sites is limited.

“By retiring this legacy technology, we can focus on strengthening and expanding our 4G and 5G networks which carry the vast majority of today’s mobile traffic,” he stated.

In early 2023, 2degrees and Spark New Zealand revealed plans to turn off their 3G networks by end-2025.

But in June Spark pushed the shutdown back to end-March 2026.

More than a year ago, One New Zealand delayed the switch off of its 3G network, first scheduled for mid-2024, to coincide with the termination of 2G services at end-2025.

Data from GSMA Intelligence showed the country had just 56,400 3G connections at end-September, less than 1 per cent the total 4.5 million mobile connections.