2G and 3G networks are shutting down rapidly around the world. Some carriers have already sunsetted their 2G and 3G networks, while most other operators have at least made plans to shut them down.

The main reason for network shutdowns is that the carriers have limited spectrum available for expansion. In order to provide a faster, more responsive network to their customers, they must repurpose the spectrum to support newer, more efficient cellular technology. Besides, expected cost efficiency, increasing demand for 4G & 5G, as well as government regulations will only encourage the operators to speed up the phase-out and shutdown.

When Will 2G Shut Down?

In Europe, around eight operators are planning to switch off their 2G network by 2025. Many operators seem to suggest that 2G in Europe will be around until 2030 and this is mainly due to implications of the M2M and IoT applications. In particular, the EU mandated eCall, where long term agreements are in place, will need to be supported by the 2G technology before the work towards migration to IMS voice is fully completed.

For Asia, 2G in countries like Japan was phased out a long time ago. The trend will continue with other countries and operators. There are around 29 operators who are looking to shut down 2G by 2025 and 16 shutting down 3G by 2025. Notably, Tawain closed both 2G and 3G almost 3 years ago.

The Americas especially the US is shutting down 2G networks on an accelerated scale. Around 15 operators in 7 countries have announced the closure of 2G by the end of 2025.

For Oceania, 2G is almost phased out. In Australia all 3 operators have shut down their 2G by the end of 2018 and 3G is on the way with Telstra the only one announcing a timeline for the end of 2024.

Africa is the only region where no 2G or 3G shutdowns have been announced so far but it will be part of future planning once newer technologies penetrate more.

When Will 3G Go Away?

3G is likely to shutdown before 2G. 3G has long been a mainstay because of its voice capabilities—a feature 4G struggled with early on. But with 4G now able to handle the majority of voice traffic, and 2G being the more attractive option to support most IoT applications, 3G no longer has much reason to stick around. So critical IoT applications that run on 3G such as CCTV will need to switch connectivity—and fast.

2G/3G Sunset Schedule

Below you can see when and which providers will say goodbye to 2G/3G.

When Will 4G LTE Be Phased Out? (Not for a Long Time!)

Like anything else, 4G will become obsolete one day. However, that day is far enough in the future that IoT deployments today and in the foreseeable future will be deployed on 4G networks.

To transition to 4G LTE, carriers needed to shut down the 3G spectrum in order to “make room” for the new networks. 5G is fundamentally different in two ways: First, it uses new spectrum, such as mid-band or high-band spectrum. And second, it can work in conjunction with 4G in existing spectrum. That is to say, early adoption of 5G technology doesn’t need 4G replacement. As a matter of fact, it gradually builds upon the LTE network.