Discussion
Quite incredible (well, to me) that, in less than five months, the UK's analogue phone network from BT/Openreach will no longer exist.
And, in perhaps four years, there will be no 2G cellular networks.
These are big technological changes - population scale changes! - that I find fascinating.
It also means that if there's a power cut, all internet and landlines go down because everything is now VOIP.
So if the mobile network power is cut... everyone is cut of from everyone outside of the immediate vicinity.
It's easier to monitor, track and control mobile networks than it is the old analogue ones.
This move isn't about better technology, it's about greater control and surveillance.
@neil 2G is going in like 3 years, in 2029 iirc
ill hopefully get some sdr equipment to visually see it switch off, similar to what some americans have done with their 2G switchoff, looking forward to that
@ElliesSurviving 2029/2030ish. Three or four years, roughly.
I know a couple of people who had to buy new (mobile) phones a couple of years ago because although they had "4g" phones they didn't have VoLTE (4g Calling) so when the 3g was switched off they could not make calls but the data service still worked.
It turns out some of the early 4g phones used 4g for data only and relied on the 3g network for calls.
Trying to explain to someone that they had to spend money on a new 4g phone when they already had one was a bit annoying.
@neil All good communications technologies come to an end. I once wrote software to help automate the wiring of phone exchanges. I remember when telegrams stopped being a thing. And then Prestel. My Dad was a Prestel content publisher. I can't see any reason why ancient dial up modems couldn't be made to work over VOIP for museum purposes.
@neil With TV we did it even faster. I remember vaguely when this new-fangled DVB-T was introduced. And then, quite suddenly, we were at "DVB-T to be shut down" (replaced by DVB-T2).
This is wild: From the early ~1930s to 2003 you could use the same unmodified TV set. Then you had to replace it with a DVB-T one. Which stopped being supported in 2019.
@neil broadcast TV (Freeview) was renewed in 2024 until 2034 https://rxtvinfo.com/2024/local-tv-to-remain-on-freeview-until-2034/, with options to switch off earlier. Satellite TV (Sky, Freesat) is being phased out, no new dishes, new geo-synchronous satellites unlikely to be launched, EOL expected 2029 https://rxtvinfo.com/2024/how-soon-is-satellite-tv-switch-off/
@neil Hmm, is that true. Are Virgin also retiring their POTS network on the same schedule?
@steve Ooh, interesting point.
@neil Although I *think* my parents said that Virgin were switching them to VoIP. There were certainly some questions about HTF they might wire the (downstairs) phone sockets into the (upstairs) DOCSIS modem. I suggested that this is surely Virgin's problem and that they need to insist that it is done properly, but I'm not sure if they have actually been switched over yet.
@steve It is hard to find information about it on VM's website.
It certainly references a switch-off, but whether this is their's or BT's is unclear, as are timings.
@neil What is going to happen to the vast array of embedded 2G kit?
@TimWardCam It will have nothing to which it can connect (in the UK, anyway).
The telecare and alarm industries - and others, possibly - need to be on top of this already, really.
@neil @TimWardCam But I wonder how often the 2G modems are replaceable with 5G? Can you just cheaply swap the modem in your burglar alarm / car / car charger / etc. or are you expected to replace your entire alarm / car / charger at huge expense?
Install bonfire.cafe
Get the full app experience
@neil I was thinking the same, but now the copper last mile has been gone for... three-four years in .no, and I never noticed, really.