Consumer rights Automower 3G loss

Pumpytums

I purchased an Automower direct from a company in the UK in 2021. For background the mover uses cellular signal for control this comes with a 10 year data contract. This is all in the marketing.

Towards the start of 2024 I contacted the retailer regarding the news, 3G network switch off. The assured me my mower had the newer 4G modem installed so it would not be affected. This was done over the phone. I don't have a recording of the call but I do have a record of when it took place.

Fast forward to March 2026 the mower has now lost all connectivity. This loss coincides with the 3G switch off in late 2025. I know others who have suffered this. The mower is not unusable but it makes it's use very inconvenient as you now have to track it down and manually use the onboard control panel. You no longer receive any alerts and the anti theft system will no longer function

The mower was not cheap nearly £2500+ so it's not a toy. I have emailed the company I bought it from politely requested the fact that the mover is no longer connecting and also the manufacturer.

I found out it's almost impossible to tell during the 3g/4g board change about 2020/21 from the serial number. So they fobbed me off.

The mower is sold as having 10 year lifespan not 5 years.

If the retailer refuses to engage realistically what amount could I pursue in small claims? If the mower is sold as having a 10 year life I would consider 50% of its purchase price or they replace the communication board.

I obviously have to allow the retailer one chance to rectify and if the cannot or will not I can still reject the goods. The mower obviously had a flaw from purchase.

Thanks in advance

Keep_pedalling

What make and model is it? 4G upgrades are available from some manufacturers.

born_again

If the retailer refuses to engage realistically what amount could I pursue in small claims? If the mower is sold as having a 10 year life I would consider 50% of its purchase price or they replace the communication board.

Why would a retailer tell you what amount you could go to court for???

A 10 year guarantee or data contract does not mean the device will last 10 years. (3G turn off was not announced till Dec 21)

Consumer rights as rule of thumb, work on 6 years. So you would be looking at 1/6 of the value. I could see them arguing that this is something that is out of their control, given they do not have control of the data networks.

Sadly a danger when devices require mobile connections to work, but odd that a mower would?

Are you sure that the issue is not your local mast? As many are being upgraded & this does cause issues with signal strength.

Which network do they use?

• https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds
• Vodafone completed its switch-off in early 2024.
• E completed its switch-off in early 2024.  
• Three completed its switch-off in late 2025.
• O2 announced it will complete its 3G switch-off in early 2026.

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6659766/consumer-rights-automower-3g-loss

Assuming you purchased the mower in 2021 to use that summer and @born_again is correct that the 3G switch off was not announced until December 2021 (I have not verified, but have no reason to doubt), then the manufacturer could very well claim force majeure as they would have had no greater reason than anyone else to suspect the data service would be disabled.

You say that without the data connectivity, the mower is not unusable but is inconvenient as "you now have to track it down and manually use the onboard control panel". I assume, therefore that this is a mower that rolls around the garden cutting the grass while you sit back and relax with a glass of Pimm's? If so, how far can the mower really go that makes it such a challenge to track it down? Do you really have an enormous garden with vast swathes of land and out of sight locations?

Should you pursue a claim, which might not be successful, there is no guarantee that the value would be 50% of the original purchase price based upon having had 5-years and the initial 10-year data contract. The value might be more akin to whatever a 5 year old Automower would get as a second-hand product. There might be solutions that allow the data sim to be upgraded, which could possibly be as simple as a change of sim-card if the actual mower is fitted with 4G modem. The manufacturer might also offer a discount from a replacement machine.

Aylesbury_Duck

Was the mower advertised as having 3G and 4G connectivity? What does the manual say? If the specification was 3G only then their argument would be that the change was out of their control and that the mower still works. If the specification is 3G and 4G then I think you have a valid claim, assuming you've ruled out any problems with local 4G signal, etc.

If it is 3G only then the person on the phone has made a mistake, and you can't hold them to that.

born_again

Who is the retailer it was bought from?

Which model?

As can get new on ebay for under £1k

MyRealNameToo

Other than possibly incorrectly telling you later that it had the later modem in it I can't see what the manufacturer or retailer has done wrong here?

The purchase was made before the announcement of the 3G switch off and they are not in control of the government. The advice in 2024 wasnt available to you in 2021 and so didnt influence your decision to buy nor did it cost you anything by being incorrect.

Personally would go back to the manufacturer and enquire about if the modem can be switched and what the cost is if it can.

Alternatively set aside a day or two to read and understand the exemptions under the Wireless Telegraphy Act to see if you could setup something like HackRF One as a small localised 3G network legally.

MattMattMattUK

From having a quick look online whilst there are people hyperbolically claiming that it is really difficult, Automower sell the part themselves for around £160 and it appears from the video and sensible technical explanations that it should take 15-20 minutes to change.

Ergates

If, back in 2024, they had correctly identified that your mower did not have a 4G connection is there anything you would have/could have done differently?

e.g. - was there an option to cheaply/freely upgrade your mower that you didn't take because you were misinformed?