Bell has provided an update to say its entire nationwide 3G network will retire in early 2027, freeing up wireless spectrum to improve its 5G+ network across Canada.
In an interview with iPhone in Canada, Blaik Kirby, Bell’s Group President of Consumer and Small Business, said the move is part of the company’s ongoing network modernization efforts. The shutdown will allow Bell to reuse existing spectrum to improve coverage and speeds for the majority of customers already using newer devices.
“We’re decommissioning our 3G network so that we can reuse the spectrum for the 5G network,” Kirby said. “If you really need a 3G phone, you have until Q1 2027, but we think that the other 99.5% are more important than the 0.5%, and we just need to move on with this upgrade cycle so that the 5G experience is better.”
Kirby said Canadians will notice stronger and more consistent 5G performance once the older network is retired, as the spectrum currently tied to 3G can be repurposed for 5G+. “In most other countries, they’ve already shut down their 3G network,” he noted. “We’ve been patient throughout, I guess. But we haven’t been selling 3G devices for many, many years.”
Bell has been charging a $3 monthly “Legacy Network Fee” to customers still using 3G or older 4G phones that don’t support Voice over LTE (VoLTE), as it prepares to shut down its 3G network in 2027.
The company says the fee helps offset the cost of maintaining its aging infrastructure while it transitions to 4G, 5G, and 5G+ technologies. Earlier this year, notifications started going out on June 19, 2025, and Bell told affected users they have until December 31, 2025 (Manitoba only), to upgrade to a VoLTE-capable device in order to continue making calls, sending texts, and using data services, according to its website.
But the final nationwide Bell 3G shutdown is now slated for early 2027, giving more time to the transition. The date was announced at the company’s Investor Day on Wednesday, held at the Delta Hotels Toronto.
Rogers and Telus are also shutting down their legacy 3G networks too. Some Northern First Nations have voiced concerns about the 3G shutdown by Rogers.
Update October 15, 2025: Bell has clarified that its 3G shutdown in Manitoba remains scheduled for the end of 2025, as previously announced. The new 2027 shutdown timeline applies to other regions across Canada, marking a phased national transition rather than a delay.
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