An ode to 3G

My dearest 3G,

It feels like an age since we last spoke, which feels somewhat ironic due to your status as the network that revolutionised communications as we moved into the 21^st century. Considering it has been quite a dramatic few years, I hope you understand why I have not been able to get in contact more often than I should have.

For starters, let’s address the elephant in the room; why I’m writing a letter rather than just messaging you on WhatsApp, or even texting if I wanted to go fully retro. I thought that a letter would help get my points across in a more personal way since emotions couldn’t be conveyed accurately if I was relying on a keyboard and emojis. Writing was a shock in itself, since an era of high connectivity has almost made handwritten messages near obsolete. But, when taking the circumstances into consideration, a more personal touch is appropriate.

Though newer technologies have since emerged,

We’ll always remember the way you converged,

Communication and technology in to one,

Oh 3G,  you were second to none.

Sadly, it was this early enablement that led to your untimely demise. As the 2000s progressed, we needed faster access to a higher quantity of data, and it was just too much for you to handle. Society had moved on from a simple call or email on the go. We wanted to stream videos while commuting or enjoy a lag-free game with our friends. The definition had to be better, our downloads had to be faster, and our desire to be connected was greater than ever. This, inevitably, transferred to our professional lives, with employees requiring instant access to information in order to get their job done. Crucial business conversations could be made null and void without a more reliable network connection. Once the COVID-19 pandemic confined us to our homes, and hybrid working became the norm, it was time for you to be put to rest.

Boy, that got heavy, didn’t it? I know you don’t want me or anyone else to continue detailing the tale of 3G’s phasing out, but it’s worth reminding you that this tends to be the norm. I mean, you were the third generation of network connectivity, brought in to take the baton from 2G, who took it from 1G. Bear in mind that the highest 1G speeds tended to be just over 2Kbps and could only deal with voice calls, so obviously that was never going to last. Our continued quest for connection always leads us to the next step in mobile technology; therefore, we now find ourselves in the epoch of 4G and 5G.

3G was the first mobile network technology to simultaneously use voice and data. This means that users could make phone calls and use data services such as browsing the internet or sending emails at the same time, whereas previous 2G networks would have required users to choose between the two.

This marked a significant advancement in mobile technology and allowed for greater flexibility and convenience for users.

As network providers conduct ‘spectrum refarming’ and devote the lower bands of the spectrum to these faster connections, you find yourself facing the end of your usage. But while people can enjoy their 5G-enabled smart cities with real-time traffic updates and energy efficient buildings, the memories of what came before will remain. Colleagues can hop onto a Teams call and begin to collaborate with ease, yet look back fondly on how far we’ve come. Our needs have changed to adapt to our more data-driven lives, but our gratitude for what 3G gave us will remain.