I wouldn’t read too much into 2G figures meaning 2G-only phones (or 3G). In my experience once you get out of populated areas connections often drop to 2G, even on my 5G capable iPhone. It’s mostly a coverage issue not a handset issue.
That's somewhat surprising. The US, which has plenty of rural areas with cell coverage, phased out 2G basically entirely over the past few years (only T-Mobile has a 2G network at all in the US now, and it's due to be sunset at the end of the year) Heck the US's 3G networks are all shutdown already, too, except for Verizon which is due to be turned off at the end of the year. Canada, also no stranger to rural areas, also has a complete shutdown of the 2G network. What's the struggle with UK getting 4G/LTE coverage out to those areas? Just no investment?
> The US, which has plenty of rural areas with cell coverage, phased out 2G basically entirely over the past few years (only T-Mobile has a 2G network at all in the US now,
There's still big gaps. My parents live in the middle of nowhere. Their service isn't classified as 2G but the 5G service is so spotty and the signal is so weak it might as well be. The US has a documented history of producing data to avoid serving these areas, same thing with internet.
It varies wildly depending on which network you are on. For example, on EE I get 4G coverage almost everywhere - even across remote parts of the Scottish Highlands and Islands. OTOH, my missus is with Three, and she rarely gets 4G at all outside of towns and cities.
