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Charge point connectivity in the UK: staying online, and what the rules expect

UK public rapid charger networks must be reliable 99% of the time on average, and private chargers sold in Great Britain after 30 June 2022 must keep charging when their connection drops. Here is how the cellular link fails, and what to check.

Two sets of rules

For public chargers, the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 require a network of rapid chargers (50 kW and above) to be reliable, on average, 99% of the time in each calendar year [13][14]. The Department for Transport (DfT) guidance says the regulations cover the United Kingdom [14]. Reliability is measured through the status of each charging point (EVSE) using the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) data standard [14]. The operator must publish its compliance on its website [13]. The guidance counts chargers in privately owned car parks that the public can use, such as supermarket and hotel car parks, as public, but not charge points that are exclusively workplace or domestic. It adds that, apart from the pricing rules, the regulations do not apply to operators that are microbusinesses [14].

Private home and workplace chargers sold in Great Britain after 30 June 2022 come under the Smart Charge Points Regulations 2021 [16]. A relevant charge point must be configured so that it remains capable of charging a vehicle if it ceases to be connected to a communications network [15]. The government’s guidance for sellers says these rules do not cover chargers sold in Northern Ireland or public charge points, and that smart chargers rely on a network such as cellular, Ethernet or Wi-Fi [16].

Where connectivity sits in the 99%

ChargeUK’s guide says that if a charge point is unusable because of vandalism, flooding, a power cut or communications network failure, that downtime is not counted against the operator’s reliability figure [17]. The DfT guidance we read (November 2023) is more cautious. It says the Government will keep working with operators to define fault categories outside their control that count as exempt time, and that operators can put evidence of explained non-compliance to the enforcement authority under a reasonable-excuse provision [14].

The guidance also sets out how statuses are counted. A status of “unknown” (no status available, which could mean the charger is offline) is ineligible for measurement, while “inoperative” and “out of order” count against the figure [13][14]. Data must be accurate, and deliberate falsification of reliability data will lead to action. Lower-use chargers, for example in rural areas, should not be left regularly out of order [14].

Even where a lost connection is not counted, an operator cannot monitor or support a charger it cannot reach, and ChargeUK notes that mobile network connectivity can affect the driver’s experience [17]. The link is worth fixing for its own sake.

How the link works, and why it drops

OCPP is a set of messages between a charger and its management system. The Open Charge Alliance (OCA) lists loss of the cellular data connection as its own failure category, separate from grid faults, equipment faults and a management-system outage [1]. Typical cellular-side causes:

What a charger does while offline

Sessions already running carry on, and their messages are buffered and sent when the link returns [1]. New sessions depend on stored authorisations. The OCA notes the local authorisation list is not part of OCPP’s core profile, so not every charger has one [1]. The government guidance adds that the regulations require only that a charger can still charge. They do not say how else it should behave offline [16].

One SIM or several networks?

A single-network SIM depends on that one network’s coverage. SIMs from virtual network operators run on a host network, and Mobile UK says their switch-off schedules mimic the parent network [18]. SimFalcon says that where the charger or connected router supports the required cellular configuration, multi-network connectivity can help at sites where depending on one local network creates unnecessary risk [24]. It also says some chargers accept a standard removable SIM and a configurable APN, while others use embedded or manufacturer-managed connectivity, so a SIM swap is not always possible [24]. Alfen’s technical file lists a SIM slot available for the operator on its Eve Single [22]. SimFalcon also lists private APN options [24]. On a private APN or VPN, the OCA’s security guide recommends that each charger can reach only the back office and not its neighbours [3].

Rural sites and underground car parks

Mobile UK says 80.67% of the UK is served by all four operators with 4G. It defines a “partial not-spot” as an area served by at least one operator but not all four, and a “total not-spot” as an area with no 4G from any operator [20]. These describe areas, not a particular charger or basement. At a partial not-spot, the networks your SIM can use matter.

Measure signal where the modem or antenna will actually sit, including underground or enclosed car parks [24]. If you add a repeater, check it is lawful: the 2022 regulations exempt only certain indoor and in-vehicle repeaters from licensing, and they must meet technical conditions including limits on noise and interference [21]. Wired Ethernet is another route, as Alfen’s file lists OCPP over both Ethernet and mobile networks [22].

2G and 3G: UK dates and charger exposure

Who saysPosition
Mobile UKAll the mobile providers have confirmed to Government that they do not plan to offer 2G and 3G services beyond 2033 [18].
Virgin Media O2Will start switching off 2G in summer 2029, in an announcement dated 23 June 2026. It says organisations using 2G to connect IoT devices will need to take action before then [25].
VodafoneThree (Vodafone 2G network)Switch-off in spring 2030, in phases, so some areas may close earlier. Three UK’s 3G network was switched off at the end of 2025 [19].

The table covers only the dates we read. EE and your SIM provider will have their own notices.

Exposure turns on the modem inside the charger, not on the SIM. Alfen’s February 2019 manual (in Dutch) lists GPRS, a 2G technology, as the Pro-line’s mobile network capability [23], while its November 2022 technical file lists LTE for the same range [22]. The two documents are three years apart, so read the data sheet for the unit actually fitted. Vodafone says the majority of IoT and M2M devices are already compatible with 4G, 5G, NB-IoT or LTE-M, and tells businesses that think they may use 2G to contact their service supplier [19]. Swapping the SIM will not add a radio the modem lacks. Our 2G and 3G switch-off guide covers the same check for gates and alarms.

Checklist for operators and installers

  1. List every charger, how it connects, who supplied the SIM and who can change it.
  2. Record the modem’s radios. Plan replacements for 2G-only units well before the 2029 and 2030 dates above [19][25]. Check 3G-only units now, because Three UK’s 3G network closed at the end of 2025 [19] and we have not checked the other networks’ 3G dates.
  3. Survey signal at the antenna and log the reading [24].
  4. Ask the platform provider for the APN settings and OCPP address, and compare them with what the charger holds [24].
  5. Test offline mode at handover: disconnect, then confirm a session still starts for a card that has charged there before or sits on a local list [1].
  6. Watch pings and heartbeats, and log every outage against a cause, for example loss of cellular data, server down or grid fault [1].
  7. Give lower-use rural chargers the same monitoring as busy ones [14].

SimFalcon’s pre-order checks cover the charger model, SIM access, APN settings, OCPP destination, usage profile and site signal [24]. See EV charger SIMs, pricing and contact.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Does the 99% reliability rule apply to my home or workplace charger?

Not to a private charger. The 99% requirement applies to a public operator's network of rapid chargers (50 kW and above). Private chargers sold in Great Britain after 30 June 2022 fall under the Smart Charge Points Regulations 2021, which require them to remain able to charge if they lose their connection. DfT guidance says chargers in privately owned car parks that the public can use, such as supermarket and hotel car parks, count as public.

Does a lost connection count against an operator's reliability figure?

ChargeUK says downtime from a communications network failure is not counted. DfT guidance treats an unknown status as ineligible for measurement, but says data must be accurate and that it will keep defining which faults outside operators' control count as exempt.

When will 2G stop working in the UK?

It depends on the network. Mobile UK says all providers have told Government they do not plan to offer 2G and 3G services beyond 2033. Virgin Media O2 says it will start switching off 2G in summer 2029, and Vodafone says its 2G network goes in spring 2030, in phases.

Can I change the SIM in a charger?

Sometimes. SimFalcon says some chargers accept a standard removable SIM and a configurable APN, while others use embedded or manufacturer-managed connectivity. Check the manual first.

Questions about connectivity for your equipment? Talk to SimFalcon or ask Engineer Support.

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