After nearly 20 years, the days of 3G are now numbered. Switzerland’s second-largest mobile carrier Sunrise will begin shutting down its 3G network countrywide from June 10, 2025. The 3G standard is also referred to as UMTS.
When will Sunrise unplug the Network?
Sunrise will phase out its 3G network in a series of shutdowns across different regions, starting on June 10. From June 10, the Sunrise 3G network will no longer operate in all parts of Switzerland.
Who is affected by the Sunrise network shutdown?
The change will impact customers who use the Sunrise 3G network for their phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, and other devices. In addition to Sunrise customers, this also applies to customers of Sunrise subsidiaries Swype, Lebara, and Yallo, as well as Aldi Suisse Mobile. Other carriers that use the Sunrise network are also affected. These include Digital Republic, Galaxus Mobile, Quickline, Talk Talk, and Teleboy.
What does the change mean for me?
Most people who use the Sunrise network will hardly notice the change because they primarily use the 4G and 5G networks.
But although many customers have devices that are compatible with 4G or 5G, the 3G network is still used for many phone calls. If your carrier uses the Sunrise network, you should check whether VoLTE (Voice over LTE) is enabled on your phone’s settings. If it is not, then make sure to activate it. That will ensure that your calls will be channeled through 4G or 5G networks. VoLTE works with all Sunrise mobile plans and prepaid mobile offers.
Customers who only use their phones to make phone calls should turn off mobile data in their phone’s settings. VoLTE phone calls normally still work even when mobile data is disabled, and the data used for the calls is not deducted from your mobile data allowances. However, the chance of possible issues with very old smartphones cannot be completely ruled out.
If you have a phone that does not support 4G or 5G, which is primarily the case with very old or very cheap devices, then you will have to get a new phone if you want to continue using the Sunrise network. People familiar with the Swiss telecom market estimate that less than one percent of mobile phones used in Switzerland and between one and two percent of all mobile devices do not support either 4G or 5G.
As a general rule, you can continue using your existing SIM. A new SIM will only be necessary in a handful of cases. Sunrise will contact affected customers directly.
Why is Sunrise shutting down its 3G network?
3G is an older mobile network standard that first launched in the 1990s. Compared to 4G and 5G, the 3G standard is less efficient. It requires more bandwidth and electricity for a given amount of data, compared to newer standards. The strong demand for mobile connectivity provides a strong argument for network operators to move towards the newer standards.
Will Swisscom and Salt also shut down their 3G networks?
Sunrise is the first Swiss telecom network operator to completely shut down its 3G network. Market leader Swisscom plans to phase out its 3G network at the end of 2025.
Salt, on the other hand, does not yet have concrete plans to shut down its 3G network. Salt responded to a moneyland.ch enquiry by saying that its 3G network will remain in place for the time being. That means devices that do not support the 4G or 5G standards can continue to be used in Switzerland. Examples of devices that may fall into this category include sensors and M2M solutions (devices that automatically transmit data).
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