Fellow MyDigitalLife community members, especially those within the European Union, I'm writing to bring to your attention a pressing concern that affects us all: the reliability and accessibility of voice communications in Europe. As some of you may know, the shutdown of 2G and 3G networks is underway, and the lack of standard 4G VoLTE or 5G VoNR support during roaming among European telecom operators is causing significant disruptions to voice communications. The situation is further complicated by the fact that some carriers are restricting the freedom to enable VoLTE, forcing customers to purchase phones from them or sign contracts. This not only limits the freedom of prepaid users but also creates a barrier to accessing reliable voice communications. I've been in touch with the relevant regulatory bodies, including the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), and they've acknowledged the concerns. However, more needs to be done to address these issues. BEREC plans to organize an expert-level workshop in this year (2025) to discuss the phaseout of 2G and 3G networks, and I believe it's essential that we, as a community, make our voices heard. We need to ensure that the regulators understand the impact of these shutdowns on our daily lives and the importance of maintaining reliable voice communications. I urge you all to join me in calling for action. We need to: Ensure that at least one of the legacy networks (2G or 3G) is kept active to maintain voice communications for devices or roaming that do not support 4G VoLTE or 5G VoNR standards; Encourage telecom operators to expedite the implementation of 4G VoLTE or 5G VoNR support during roaming; Promote public awareness campaigns to inform users about the ongoing changes in voice communication technologies and the importance of upgrading their devices to support 4G VoLTE or 5G VoNR; Ensure that carriers cannot restrict VoLTE support to specific phone models sold by them, but instead must support a wide range of devices available in stores, allowing users to choose their preferred phone without being tied to a specific carrier. Furthermore, the EU must enforce interoperability standards among carriers, ensuring that devices are compatible across different networks, so that users can switch carriers without having to change their phone. Let's work together to make our voices heard and ensure that the regulators take our concerns seriously. Share your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions in this thread, and let's make a collective effort to improve the state of voice communications in the European Union. What can you do? Share this thread with your friends and family who may be affected by these issues; Contact your local telecom operator and express your concerns about the shutdown of 2G and 3G networks and the lack of VoLTE support; Participate in the discussion and share your thoughts on how we can work together to address these issues. Let's make a difference and ensure that our voices are heard.
I'd like to add to the discussion, specifically, the concerns about emergency calling. As we're all aware, many users, including those who travel or are in roaming, rely on 2G networks to make emergency calls. If 2G is shut down simultaneously with 3G, these users may be left unable to communicate in critical situations, especially in areas with limited or no 3G coverage. Furthermore, roaming agreements allow users from different networks to access local infrastructure. 2G has proven to be reliable for emergency calls, requiring less bandwidth and being able to connect calls even in areas with weak signals. Removing this network could result in an increase in failed or delayed emergency calls. I propose that a phased approach be considered for the 3G shutdown, keeping the 2G network operational for an additional period. This would allow users, especially those who haven't upgraded their devices, to continue making emergency calls without interruption. Some potential points to consider when discussing emergency calling with regulators and telecom operators include: Ensuring that emergency services are available and accessible to all users, regardless of their device or network; Implementing a system for emergency calls that can function with minimal bandwidth and weak signals; Providing clear information to users about the shutdown of 2G and 3G networks and the potential impact on emergency calling; Offering alternatives or solutions for users who may be affected by the shutdown, such as providing devices that support 4G VoLTE or 5G VoNR; Conducting thorough testing and evaluation to ensure that emergency calling systems are functioning correctly and reliably before shutting down 2G and 3G networks. It's essential that we, as a community, emphasize the importance of emergency calling and ensure that the regulators and telecom operators take the necessary steps to mitigate any potential risks. I urge everyone to share their thoughts and concerns on this critical issue. Let's work together to ensure that the shutdown of 2G and 3G networks does not compromise the safety and well-being of EU citizens. Edited for additional clarity. P.S.: It's worth noting that making emergency calls over VoLTE without a SIM card is possible, thanks to the 3GPP standard for "Emergency Call over IMS" (eCall over IMS) and the "Unauthenticated Emergency Session" feature. This allows devices to establish an emergency call session with the network, even without a valid SIM card or subscription. However, not all devices or networks may support eCall over IMS. Additionally, some networks may require a SIM card to be present in the device, even if it's not authenticated, to make an emergency call over VoLTE. It's essential to ensure that all devices and networks support this feature to ensure seamless emergency calling.
It really does worries me that they want to get rid of 3G, and especially 2G, as my cell phones (or as youngsters call them 'dumbphones') only support that, because I DO NOT NEED some stupid 'smart' phone that is, first of all, inconvienent to carry around in my pocket due to most of them being too big and is always at higher risk of falling out then a small cell phone that sits deeply in my pocket and rarely will fall out. My trusty Nokia 1600 and 3510i models have been very reliable and only needed replacement batteries after many years in service(good luck trying to change a battery on a 'modern' 'smart' phone)and does everything a phone is supposed to do: receive and make calls, maybe sometimes get a text message or text someone, but that's really something girls do and making a call is just faster. And why everything does need to have some crappy 'app'. Computers or a simple sheet of paper is not trendy or 'innovative' anymore? Sure, that's just my opinion, but I will continue to use real cell phones and advocate against this decision until the very end... After that sad day, probably going to 'upgrade' to landline, but all hope is still not lost...
The problem is that many smartphones advertised as 4G compatible are not supported by carriers for VoLTE, often due to artificial restrictions and carriers seeking to generate additional revenue. My carrier, for instance, only supports a limited subset of phones for the new voice technologies, and many EU carriers have their own distinct lists of supported devices. The issue is exacerbated by restrictions such as only enabling VoLTE for contract holders, not prepaid users. Furthermore, even on compatible devices, roaming support is often inadequate because foreign carriers within the EU do not adhere to the same specifications, leading to inconsistent and unreliable voice services. Currently, users can still fall back to 2G/3G networks (via Circuit Switched Fallback, or CSFB) when VoLTE is not enabled, but this workaround is only guaranteed to be available until December 31, 2025, as mandated by EU legislation. After that date, there's a risk that this fallback option may no longer exist, leaving users without a reliable means of making voice calls. This adds urgency to the need for carriers to improve VoLTE support and interoperability, and for regulators to ensure that users interests are protected. The same applies to 5G and VoNR.
As someone who's been following this issue, I'm frustrated with the lack of consideration for consumers who will be affected by this change. I'm also skeptical about the benefits of 5G. It seems like another marketing gimmick to get people to upgrade to newer devices and plans. And now we're already hearing about 6G? It seems the tech industry is creating a sense of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) among consumers, rather than genuinely improving their lives. I think it's time for the EU to take a step back and consider the impact of their decisions on consumers. We need to make sure that people have access to reliable and affordable communication services, regardless of the technology used, and not leave anyone behind in the rush to adopt newer technologies. We must call on the EU to take a more consumer-centric approach to this issue, and we have to work together to find solutions that benefit everyone, not just the tech industry's bottom line. Vote with your wallet, support your values with your purchases. Reject monopolies. United, the people stand strong in their freedom against greedy corporations that seek to shackle consumers. My two cents.