Last Updated on 2023-07-31 , 9:25 am
Calling all the tech dinosaurs in Singapore.
If you are still connected to the slower and older 3G network, it is time to upgrade to the 4G and 5G networks.
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This is compulsory for you anyway since 3G networks will no longer be available in Singapore next year.
Here is what you need to know.
Singapore Telcos Are Retiring 3G Services in 2024
There are currently three telcos in Singapore providing 3G services, and all three of them will retire these services in a year by 31 July 2024.
These three telcos are Singtel, StarHub and M1, respectively.
This upcoming phase-out was announced in a press release by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) today (26 July 2023).
According to IMDA, 3G has been in the market for almost 20 years and was slowly overtaken by the upgraded 4G and 5G networks.
As a result, “close to 99% of Singapore’s mobile subscribers are currently on 4G/5G”.
The prevalence of 3G users in April 2023 was also remarkably low, at “approximately 1% of the total mobile subscriptions”.
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That translates to about 100,000 individuals affected by the 3G shutdown.
Of course, the 3G network shutdown also means that retailers “can no longer sell 3G mobile phones and/or 4G models requiring 3G for voice calls”.
This change will start on 1 February 2024, slightly earlier than the 3G shutdown in the middle of next year.
The IMDA also hoped that this one-year transition period would ease the transition away from the 3G network onto the more prevalent 4G and 5G networks.
What You Can Do if You Are Still Using 3G Services
If you are one of those individuals affected by the retirement of 3G networks, we have some good news for you.
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Your mobile network operators will have to ensure you can smoothly transit onto the 4G or 5G network once 3G is no longer a thing on our sunny island.
In particular, these telcos cannot give you terms worse off than what you currently have when they get you to convert your plans.
Sounds great, doesn’t it?
These telcos will also “provide a range of mobile phone options at different price points” so that you can purchase a phone according to your financial means.
If you are an enterprise user of 3G networks, support will also be provided for you to migrate to other services with minimal disruption to your existing services.
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In the meantime, we are off to check that our networks are running on either 4G or 5G networks.
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