"Bite" will begin the shutdown of the old 3G communication technology in June. By the end of this year, this old technology will be completely shut down in Lithuania. The mobile communication technology used for almost 20 years will be replaced by the newer generation 4G and 5G connection. The abandonment of the old technology will affect people with old SIM cards, for whom it is important to immediately renew their cards, the press release says.
"The 3G shutdown marks the end of an important historical stage. By turning off 3G technology, the frequencies currently allocated to this technology will be freed up. This will ensure better 4G connectivity for all customers, especially those living in the country's regions and on the border. This means not only fast internet, but also more stable calls and better quality connectivity. By constantly expanding and updating the network of communication towers in Lithuania, we are paying close attention to ensuring that the "Bitė" connection is even better. The shutdown of the old 3G this year will also contribute to this," says Arūnas Mickevičius, CEO of "Bitė Lietuva".
According to him, currently, few people use 3G for calls and browsing. It is estimated that three out of four customers have already switched to more advanced 4G or especially high-quality "Bitė" new generation 5G connection for browsing. Internet calls "VoLTE" (English Voice over LTE) account for more than 60 percent. of all calls on the "Bitė" network.
The shutdown will be carried out in stages
The shutdown of the old 3G technology in the "Bitė" network will be carried out gradually, informing customers about the changes in advance. It is planned that the shutdown of the old 3G communication technology will begin in June, starting from the country's coastline.
"Last September, we conducted a pilot 3G shutdown project in Šventoji. This test was successful - we did not record any connection disruptions, and customers did not experience any service disruptions. We believe that we will also be able to smoothly disconnect 3G in other Lithuanian cities and towns. "Bitė" deliberately chose a slightly slower abandonment of the old technology in order for customers to experience as little inconvenience as possible," explains the head of "Bitė", adding that good "Bitė" connection coverage reaches 99 percent. Lithuanian territory.
When 3G is disabled, devices using this connection will automatically switch to another connection network - 2G, 4G, or 5G.
"If the phone supports 4G, it will automatically use VoLTE technology for calls. It ensures higher call quality, faster connection, and a more stable connection. VoLTE allows you to talk on the phone and use the Internet at the same time, which improves the overall communication experience. This is relevant when you want to check your email while talking on the phone, show your plane ticket when checking in for a flight, or dictate a parcel code to a courier. In addition, without VoLTE, you may not be able to make or receive calls in many EU and other countries around the world," says A. Mickevičius.
People with SIM cards older than 10 years should be especially careful - they should be renewed at any "Bitė" salon throughout Lithuania. Otherwise, even with the latest smart devices, old SIM cards will only be able to use 2G connection, which is not adapted for faster data transfer. This means that devices with 2G connection will work extremely slowly compared to the more advanced 4G or the new generation "Bitė" 5G connection.
3G – a technology of the past
Many European countries have already turned off 3G or are in the process of phasing it out. For example, Germany, Italy, Spain and Greece have either completely turned off 3G or have begun to turn it off.
According to A. Mickevičius, the choice to switch off 3G rather than the even older 2G connection was determined by the number of its users. 1991G connection, which began operating in 2, was the first digital mobile connection to replace the analog 1G.
"At that time, it was a huge leap in the field of telecommunications, because it allowed not only to make calls, but also to transfer data, use SMS messages, and later - mobile Internet. To this day, 2G connection is used by many telemetry devices - alarm or security systems, parking lot firewalls or automatic gates, etc.," recalls the head of the digital services company "Bite".
"Currently, 3G connection is only relevant for calls, and 2G connection can also perform this function. Most people have been using 4G or the new generation 5G connection for a long time. This change was determined not only by updated communication networks, but also by the latest smart devices, which automatically connect to 5G, which is several times faster," says A. Mickevičius.
