Last week I received a text message from my network provider (3UK), telling me of their intentions to phase out 3G over the next few months, but they will keep 4G and 5G active.
It went on to say that my Xperia 10 x2 Sim will not be compatible with their network and I need to purchase a new device 
The issue they outline is VoLTE. I havenāt spoken to them about it yet, but will do in the next few days.
So, whatās the gen? Is 4G and 4GVoLTE both one and the same thing, or am I going to have to lose Sailfish altogether?
I could get a later Xperia model but I donāt have a clue or the patience to reflash to SailfishOS (old age and all that) 
If you mean Dual-SIM, write that instead of things that can look like the suffixes for other models.
VoLTE is a service on the LTE network, just what it says: Voice over LTE - calls over LTE.
As you seem to have already found; thatās something you need the newer models (10 II / 10 III) for.
Flashing is easy-peasy, perhaps barring silly Windows drivers (if applicable for you). Surely you have someone that can help if you get stuck.
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If money is not a big issue, you could buy a preflashed xperia from jolla-devices.com (a seller not related to jolla)
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Itās a solution Iāve looked at but Itās going to set me back over 400Euro (Ā£350).
Thatās where I got my existing Xperia from, too.
If they keep the 2g network, its not a problem, and you dont have to change your phone.
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I have used Vodafone IT for years since they phased out 3G, before being forced to switch operator because the Xperia 10 III does not work with their network.
2G is going too. 2G and 3G. All thatās going to be left is 4G & 5G. Manufacturers and retailers are still pushing 4G handsets, 5G is still not available in the majority of areas and hereās Nokia already pushing 6G.
All this must surely be a recycling headache.
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If your provider is only gonna support 4G and up, then your only Sailfish options are the Xperia 10 II and Xperia 10 III. No community ports, nothing else. Coming from USA, where the 2G/3G shutdown has happened, youāre SOL on another device unless your network maintains some legacy 2G support for some important business purpose unrelated to your personal needs. (Burglar alarms, or lojack, or whatever.) For now . . .
It seems that Xperia 10 works on 4G in Europe too. I guess many others should also work. Donāt forget that USA uses different GSM bands.
Not with VoLTE. Whatās your point?
Youāre right. I forgot VoLTE.
3G shutdown has already started in the UK - I think that Vodafone started with Plymouth and Basingstoke and that you should not rely on 3G anywhere after 2024.
2G is used for a lot of remote monitoring of devices such as smart meters, so will hang around longer - the terminal date is in the next decade.
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Iām sure if you ask here some kind soul will flash you an xperia 10 ii or iii. You can get a secondhand 10 ii for about 100ā¬ in very good condition. Iād do it for you but I live on the mainland.
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So, I spoke to the lurverly lady in the 3 store and she said my phone should still work over 4G.
But Iāve just been digging and found the image that Iāve grabbed below.
The bit hi-lighted in red is the thing that concerns me.
What itās implying is that when making voice calls on a 4G phone without VoLTE the connection drops back to 3G and 3G is the one thatās being scrapped, which means if you donāt have a VoLTE setting toggle on your phone youāre stuffed.
Iāve just been into the Android settings and enabled LTE from there, but thereās nothing in there about VoLTE.
I need a second opinion.
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Correct.
Your phone can fall back to 2G/GSM too, if they configure that in the network, but you said that is about the same situation to be in?
That part about data isnāt true for 3G/UMTS, and technically not even for 2G/GSM - but there it might just as well be, because those speeds donāt count anymore.
The comparison makes VoLTE out to be something separate from 4G/LTE - but i assure you it is just a (very complicated) service on top that allows you to call over it.
Android settings (in SFOS) has no bearing on anything.
Your phone may well have VoLTE with Android - but it is the SFOS support that counts.
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Technically, in volte, you do calls over 4g, il lte, you do internet in 4g but as soon as you make/receive a call, your network is switched to 2g, and after the call is taken back to 4g,
If your operator is phasing out 2g too then you have 2 options
1 change your phone to an x10iii
2 change your operator to one that will not switch 2g off yet
Luckily enough for me, mine kept 2g on, quality is what it is but at least i can make callsā¦
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Please donāt propagate this misconception that VoLTE is some ānew LTEā - it is only a service on top, nothing more.
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Thanks for all the replies and advice everyone Iāve noe found out that the Xperia 10 dual sim will not be compatible with voice calls once 2G and 3G are switched off, which Iām told will be happening by the end of this year. So Iām in the market for an Xperia 10 III, preferably with the basic Sailfish OS installed.
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I donāt know if anyoneās tried to port VoLTE yet from Jollaās code. I imagine itās a major task but I donāt know if itās a huge one. You might be able to get the blob āAPIā via Jolla.
Itās been confirmed by Jolla themselves that my Xperia 10 dual SIM will need to be replaced by either a MkII or MkIII if the network disables 2G & 3G.
I should be able to get one of these relatively cheaply in the coming months when I can beat all the people off that are after my money. 
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