20 Modern Systems Still Running on Old Tech

Nothing about a digital electricity meter feels particularly connected to an old flip phone, but the two can share a communications generation. Large numbers of smart meters in Great Britain were designed to send information through 2G and 3G mobile infrastructure. Those networks are now approaching retirement, creating a peculiar problem: the meter itself may work perfectly while the communications technology around it ages out of service. The British government introduced rules in 2026 requiring suppliers to replace affected equipment before 2G and 3G services shut down by the end of 2033.