In short: Thousands of UK telecare devices — fall detectors, personal alarms, medication reminders — run on 2G and 3G networks that are being switched off. When they go, these lifeline devices stop working. Private 5G offers a secure, affordable replacement that won't need upgrading again in five years.
Key Takeaways
- Telecare devices on 2G/3G will stop working — Vodafone has already switched off 3G, others are following
- Commercial broadband SLAs are often cost-prohibitive for care settings — UKTIN confirms this is a known barrier
- Private 5G is a long-term fix — unlike 2G/3G, the infrastructure is designed to last decades
The Problem
Across the UK, thousands of vulnerable people rely on telecare devices — personal alarms, fall detectors, medication reminders, and environmental sensors — that connect over 2G and 3G mobile networks.
Those networks are being switched off.
Vodafone switched off its 3G network in 2024. Three is following. 2G networks are next. For the social care sector, this isn't a distant technical problem — it's an urgent operational one.
What's at Risk
Telecare devices are lifelines. They detect falls, alert carers to emergencies, remind residents to take medication, and monitor environmental conditions like temperature and gas levels. Many of these devices were installed years ago and communicate exclusively over 2G or 3G.
When the networks switch off, these devices stop working. No alert is sent when someone falls. No reminder to take medication. No call for help.
According to UKTIN, the transition away from legacy connectivity is one of the most pressing challenges in health and social care technology.
Why This Is Harder Than It Sounds
Replacing telecare devices isn't as simple as swapping a SIM card. Many devices are end-of-life and can't be upgraded. New devices need new connectivity — but what kind?
Public 4G/5G
Works in urban areas but is unreliable in many care settings, particularly rural communities and areas with poor indoor coverage. Care homes, sheltered housing, and social housing estates often have connectivity blackspots.
Standard Broadband
Works for some devices but introduces dependency on a single fixed line. If the broadband goes down, every connected device goes with it.
Commercial SLAs
An option, but UKTIN's research notes that the service-level agreements required for home monitoring applications are often "cost prohibitive or unavailable under commercial agreements." Care providers can't afford enterprise-grade connectivity contracts.
Where Private 5G Fits
Private 5G networks offer something different: dedicated, reliable connectivity that care providers control, at a price that works for stretched budgets.
Reliable Coverage
A private network is designed for your specific location — whether that's a care home campus, a sheltered housing estate, or a cluster of social housing. No blackspots, no shared bandwidth, no congestion.
Security
Health and care data is sensitive. A private network keeps data on-site or routes it through controlled pathways. You're not sharing infrastructure with the general public.
Affordable SLAs
Because you're not buying enterprise connectivity from a major telco, the economics are different. Monthly subscriptions rather than six-figure contracts.
Future-Proof
Unlike 2G and 3G, 5G isn't going anywhere. A private 5G network gives telecare devices a platform that will last decades, not years.
What's Already Happening
The UK isn't starting from zero. Several pioneering projects are showing what private 5G can do for health and social care:
Glasgow's SCSP Programme is developing Smart Care Homes, Smart Telecare, Smart Home Care, and Virtual Wards — all built on private 5G connectivity. The project is demonstrating how private networks can support the full spectrum of community-based care.
Renfrewshire's IoT Initiative deployed IoT sensors into 10,000 social homes, paired with connectivity infrastructure, to monitor environmental conditions and support resident wellbeing. The project is generating real savings while closing the connectivity gap in underserved housing.
Both projects are documented by UKTIN as evidence of private 5G's potential in care settings.
What Social Care Providers Should Do Now
If you're responsible for telecare or connected care services, here's a practical checklist:
- Audit your current devices. How many depend on 2G/3G? What's the replacement timeline for your network operator?
- Assess your connectivity. Do your care settings have reliable indoor coverage? Are there blackspots?
- Evaluate alternatives. Don't assume public 4G/5G will solve the problem — test actual coverage at your specific locations.
- Consider private 5G. For settings where commercial connectivity is unreliable or too expensive, a managed private network may be the most practical option.
- Plan for the long term. Whatever you deploy now should last 10+ years. Choose technology that won't need replacing again in five years.
If the 2G/3G switch-off is creating urgency in your organisation, get in touch. We can assess your connectivity needs and talk through what a private network would look like for your setting. Read more about our work in health and social care.