The third generation (3G) of mobile networks, launched in the early 2000s, was primarily focused on delivering significantly faster mobile internet, marking a fundamental departure from 2G's slower data capabilities. This push for speed, eventually reaching several megabits per second, transformed mobile phones from mere communication devices into true mobile computers. 3G technologies, like UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) with W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) for GSM-evolved networks (e.g., Rogers and Fido in Canada) and EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) for CDMA-evolved networks (e.g., Bell and Telus in Canada), provided multi-megabit broadband speeds and better global roaming capabilities compared to 2G. The development of HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access), often marketed as "3.5G," was a significant breakthrough that truly powered the first wave of modern smartphones by dramatically boosting download and upload speeds.

The increased speed and reduced latency of 3G unlocked a new era of mobile experiences, including true mobile web Browse of full HTML websites, real-time video calls, and the crucial foundation for the app ecosystem. The launch of the iPhone in 2007 was perfectly timed with 3G's maturation, as the device's capabilities would have been crippled by 2G speeds, and 3G needed a "killer device" to showcase its potential. The subsequent launch of the App Store in 2008 on 3G networks ignited the multi-trillion-dollar mobile app economy that defines digital life today. 3G also enabled early mobile music and video streaming, and with the integration of GPS, the first useful location-based services like mobile mapping and navigation. The lasting legacy of 3G is its role as the foundation of the smartphone revolution, transforming mobile phones into powerful internet gateways and permanently raising user expectations for constant, fast internet access. As of June 2025, 3G networks, like their 2G predecessors, are being decommissioned globally to free up spectrum for more efficient 4G and 5G technologies.