Carrier 3G Shutdown Details
We encourage Canadian oil and gas companies affected by the 3G network shutdown to explore our 4G/5G Upgrade Programs
The 3G network shutdown by Canadian carriers will affect a large range of equipment that currently relies on 3G modem technology. This will have a dire impact on the oil and gas industry without the functionality of 4G/5G modems installed. We encourage all companies in the Canadian oil and gas sector to upgrade today.
Canada-Wide 3G Shutdown on Mar 1, 2027 (earlier for Manitoba)
Bell is advising business customers using 3G modems on its network to prepare for a planned 3G shutdown on March 1, 2027.
For remote oil and gas operations, that means any field equipment, telemetry, or backup connections still relying on 3G should be reviewed well before the cutoff to avoid service interruptions at isolated sites.
Bell has already set an earlier retirement date for 3G in Manitoba, personal and business customers are scheduled to lose service by December 31, 2025. Bell’s Manitoba shutdown timeline shows that remote operators should not wait until the last minute to assess older cellular hardware, especially where connectivity is critical for safety and monitoring.
For oil and gas sites in remote parts of Alberta, the main impact is likely to be on legacy devices used for alarms, SCADA, fleet tracking, and low-bandwidth failover. Sites should confirm whether their hardware supports LTE or newer networks, since a 3G-dependent device could fail once the network is retired.
Visit the Bell website for more information on their 3G shutdown.
Starting 3G Shutdown Aug 7, 2025
Rogers is shutting down its 3G network across Canada in phases starting August 7, 2025. For remote oil and gas operations, some isolated areas may lose 3G service before others, and the timing will depend on local rollout. Operators should treat this as an urgent issue if any field equipment, telemetry, or backup links still rely on 3G modems.
Rogers will notify customers before removing 3G in each area, but remote sites often depend on infrequent maintenance visits and legacy hardware that may not be changed quickly. If devices haven migrated from 3G, Rogers will move them to 2G for calls and texts only; data services will not work on 2G and will require LTE or 5G.
For remote oil and gas sites in Alberta, any 3G-only system handling data (SCADA monitoring, safety alarms, vehicle tracking, or environmental sensor) will stop working once 3G is retired in that area. Operations should confirm that all modems and IoT devices support LTE (and where possible 5G), and plan replacements ahead of Rogers’ local shutdown dates to avoid losing data connectivity at critical field locations.
Visit the Rogers website for more information on their 3G shutdown.
Shutdown on Mar 1, 2027 for Canada-Wide 3G Shutdown (Manitoba is earlier)
Telus has set March 1, 2027 as its target date to shut down the 3G network across most of Canada, including remote areas where many oil and gas sites operate. In Manitoba, 3G is already on an earlier timeline: December 31, 2025 for rural customers outside Winnipeg and Brandon, and March 31, 2026 for urban customers in those cities.
For remote oil and gas operations in Alberta, the key risk is any field equipment, telemetry, or backup connectivity that still depends on 3G. Telus has already introduced an additional charge in 2025 for mobile customers still using 3G, which adds financial pressure to migrate before the full shutdown.
Operators should treat Telus’s March 2027 target as a hard deadline for planning upgrades at remote sites. Any modems, IoT devices, or failover radios that only support 3G should be confirmed for LTE or 5G compatibility and replaced if needed. This is especially important where connectivity is critical for safety, compliance, and continuous monitoring, and where maintenance visits are infrequent.
Visit the Telus website for more information on their 3G shutdown.
Target Date of Oct 1, 2027 for 3G Shutdown
SaskTel has announced a 3G shutdown in Saskatchewan targeting October 1, 2027. Since their December 31, 2025 phased shutdown, some nearby areas may still get 3G from adjacent towers, but at reduced speeds. This partial shutdown shows the unpredictability of the 3G retirement process, especially for remote operators who depend on stable coverage.
For remote oil and gas sites that are near or cross into Saskatchewan, or that use backhaul or routing paths that touch SaskTel infrastructure, 3G can no longer be relied on as a fallback.
Operations with assets in or near Saskatchewan should treat October 2027 as a planning deadline for replacing any 3G-only modems, IoT devices, telemetry units, or backup radios. Even if a site still sees 3G today, that coverage can disappear abruptly when towers are retired, and remote sites may not have quick access to on-site maintenance when that happens. Upgrading to LTE (and where practical, 5G) ensures that safety systems, SCADA, environmental monitoring, and fleet tracking continue to work reliably.
Visit the SaskTel website for more information on their 3G shutdown.
