2G is a short notation for second-generation cellular network, a group of technology standards employed for cellular networks. 2G was commercially launched on the GSM standard in Finland by Radiolinja (now part of Elisa Oyj) in 1991. [1] After 2G was launched, the previous mobile wireless network systems were retroactively dubbed 1G. While radio signals on 1G networks are analog, radio signals on 2G networks are digital, though both systems use digital signaling to connect cellular radio towers to the rest of the mobile network system. 2G was superseded by 3G technology.
The most common 2G technology was the time-division multiple access (TDMA)-based GSM standard, used in most of the world outside Japan.[ citation needed ] In North America, Digital AMPS (IS-54 and IS-136) and cdmaOne (IS-95) were dominant, but GSM was also used. [2] [ citation needed ] In Japan the ubiquitous system was Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) though another, Personal Handy-phone System (PHS), also existed.[ citation needed ]
Three primary benefits of 2G networks over their 1G predecessors were:
With General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), 2G offers a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 40 kbit/s (5 kB/s). [3] With EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), there is a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 384 kbit/s (48 kB/s). [3]
2.5G ("second and a half generation" [4] ) is used to describe 2G-systems that have implemented a packet-switched domain in addition to the circuit-switched domain. It does not necessarily provide faster service because bundling of timeslots is used for circuit-switched data services (HSCSD) as well.
GPRS networks evolved to EDGE networks with the introduction of 8PSK encoding. While the symbol rate remained the same at 270.833 samples per second, each symbol carried three bits instead of one. Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS), or IMT Single Carrier (IMT-SC) is a backward-compatible digital mobile phone technology that allows improved data transmission rates, as an extension on top of standard GSM. EDGE was deployed on GSM networks beginning in 2003, initially by AT&T in the United States.
2G, understood as GSM and CdmaOne, has been superseded by newer technologies such as 3G (UMTS / CDMA2000), 4G (LTE / WiMAX) and 5G (5G NR). However, 2G networks were still available as of 2023 [update] in most parts of the world, while notably excluding the majority of carriers in North America, East Asia, and Australasia. [5] [6] [7]
Many modern LTE-enabled devices have the ability to fall back to 2G for phone calls, necessary especially in rural areas where later generations have not yet been implemented. [8] In some places, its successor 3G is being shut down rather than 2G – Vodafone previously announced that it had switched off 3G across Europe in 2020 but still retains 2G as a fallback service. [9] In the US T-Mobile shut down their 3G services while retaining their 2G GSM network. [10] [11]
Various carriers have made announcements that 2G technology in the United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries are in the process of being shut down, or have already shut down 2G services so that carriers can re-use the frequencies for newer technologies (e.g. 4G, 5G). [12] [13]
In 2022, Android 12 introduced a system setting to disable 2G connectivity for the device, as 2G is considered to be insecure. [14] Specifically, there exist well known methods to attack weaknesses in GSM since 2009 [15] with practical use in crime. [16] Attack routes on 2G CdmaOne were found later and remain less publicized. [17]
In some parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, 2G remains widely used for older feature phones and for internet of things (IoT) devices such as smart meters, eCall systems and vehicle trackers to avoid the high patent licensing cost of newer technologies. [18] Terminating 2G services could leave vulnerable people who rely on 2G infrastructure unable to communicate even with emergency contacts, causing harm and possibly deaths. [19]
Country | Network | Shutdown date | Standard | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Åland | Ålcom | 2024 | GSM | 2G availability cannot be guaranteed after 1 Jan 2022, all stations are planned to be shut down in 2024. [20] |
Australia | Optus | 2017-08-01 | GSM | 2G shut down in WA and NT on 03 Apr 2017. [21] [22] |
Telstra | 2016-12-01 | GSM | [23] | |
Vodafone | 2018-06-30 | GSM | ||
Bahrain | Batelco | 2021-11-30 | GSM | [24] |
Belgium | Orange | 2030 | GSM | [25] |
Telenet | 2027 | GSM | [26] | |
Proximus | 2027 | GSM | [27] | |
Brunei | DSTCom | 2021-06-01 | GSM | [28] [29] |
Progresif | 2021-06-01 | GSM | [28] [29] | |
imagine | 2021-06-01 | GSM | [28] [29] | |
Canada | Bell | 2019-04-30 | cdmaOne | Shutdown of CDMA transmitters commenced in remote areas in 2017, followed by an official announcement in June 2018 that 2G devices will lose service soon. [30] [31] |
Rogers Wireless | GSM | 1900 MHz shutdown in Jun 2021. 850 MHz remains active. [32] [33] [34] [35] | ||
SaskTel | 2017-07-31 | cdmaOne | [36] [37] | |
Telus Mobility | 2017-05-31 | cdmaOne | [38] [39] | |
Cayman Islands | Digicel | 2020-07-01 | GSM | [40] [41] |
China | China Unicom | GSM | Local shutdown commenced in Q1 2021. [42] [43] [44] | |
China Telecom | 2025 | cdmaOne | Local shutdown commenced on 16 Jun 2020. CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A/B (3G) service also terminates. [45] [46] | |
Colombia | Claro | 2023-02-23 | GSM | [47] [48] |
Tigo | 2022-11-01 | GSM | [49] | |
France | Bouygues | 2026-12-31 | GSM | [50] |
Orange | 2025-12-31 | GSM | [25] | |
SFR | 2026 | GSM | [51] | |
Hong Kong | 3 | 2021-09-30 | GSM | [52] |
SmarTone | 2022-10-14 | GSM | [53] | |
Iceland | 2025 | GSM | per government statement [54] | |
Israel | 2025 | GSM | per government statement [55] | |
Italy | TIM Group | 2029-12-31 | GSM | [56] [57] [58] |
Jamaica | FLOW | 2024-04-15 | GSM | Shutdown commenced on September 30, 2022. [59] [60] [61] |
Digicel | 2024-08-31 | GSM | [62] [61] | |
Japan | au KDDI | 2008-03-31 | cdmaOne | |
NTT Docomo | 2012-03-31 | PDC | [63] | |
Softbank | 2010-03-31 | PDC | [64] | |
Jordan | Umniah | 2022-??-?? | GSM | [65] |
Luxembourg | Orange | 2030 | GSM | [25] |
Macau | China Telecom | 2010-??-?? | cdmaOne | [66] |
CTM | 2019-08-01 | GSM | Service for local customers terminated on 04 Jun 2015 with service remaining for roaming users. [67] [66] | |
3 | 2019-08-01 | GSM | Service for local customers terminated on 04 Jun 2015 with service remaining for roaming users. [67] [66] | |
SmarTone | 2019-08-01 | GSM | Service for local customers terminated on 04 Jun 2015 with service remaining for roaming users. [67] [66] | |
Mexico | AT&T | GSM | Local shutdown commenced in Q1 2019. [68] | |
Movistar | 2021-01-01 | GSM | [69] | |
Netherlands | T-Mobile | 2021-06-01 / 2023-11-15 (IoT) | GSM | [70] |
New Caledonia | OPT-NC | 2025 | GSM | Shutdown commenced in 2022. [71] |
New Zealand | 2degrees | 2018-03-15 | GSM | [72] |
Spark | 2012-07-31 | cdmaOne | [73] [74] | |
Norway | Telenor | 2025 | GSM | [75] |
Telia | 2025 | GSM | [75] | |
Poland | Orange | 2030 | GSM | [25] |
Romania | Orange | 2030 | GSM | [25] |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | FLOW | 2023-09-30 | GSM | [76] [77] |
Singapore | M1 | 2017-04-18 | GSM | [78] |
Singtel | 2017-04-18 | GSM | [78] | |
StarHub | 2017-04-18 | GSM | [78] | |
Sint Maarten | TelCell | 2019-01-01 | GSM | [79] |
UTS | 2017-09-26 | GSM | [80] | |
Slovakia | Orange | 2030 | GSM | [25] |
South Africa | 2024-06-30 | GSM | per government statement [81] [82] | |
South Korea | KT | 2012-03-19 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rel. 0 (3G) service has also terminated. [83] |
LG Uplus | 2021-06-30 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A/B (3G) service has also terminated. [84] | |
SK Telecom | 2020-07-27 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rel. 0 (3G) service has also terminated. [85] | |
Spain | Orange | 2030 | GSM | [25] |
Switzerland | Salt | 2020-12-31 | GSM | [86] [87] [88] Shutdown commenced on 01 Jul 2020. A few single 2G-only sites remained until Sep 2023 to preserve CSFB functionality. |
Sunrise | 2023-01-03 | GSM | [89] [90] [91] With the introduction of S-RAN in 2018 phaseout was postponed to 2022. | |
Swisscom | 2021-04-07 | GSM | [92] [93] [94] Official shutdown date was on 31 Dec 2020 (guaranteed availability). | |
Taiwan | Chunghwa Telecom | 2017-06-30 | GSM | [95] |
FarEasTone | 2017-06-30 | GSM | [95] | |
Taiwan Mobile | 2017-06-30 | GSM | [95] | |
Trinidad and Tobago | Digicel | 2024-12-31 | GSM | [96] [97] [98] |
United Arab Emirates | Du | 2023-12-31 | GSM | [99] |
Etisalat | 2023-12-31 | GSM | [100] | |
United Kingdom | 2033 | GSM | per government statement on confirmation by mobile providers [101] [102] [103] | |
United States Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands | AT&T | 2017-01-01 | GSM | [104] |
Cellcom | 2023-12-01 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated. [105] | |
Commnet Wireless (Choice) | 2022-12-31 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated. [106] | |
Copper Valley Wireless | 2022-09-30 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated. [107] | |
T-Mobile | TBD | GSM | [108] [109] | |
T-Mobile (Sprint) | 2022-05-31 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated. Shutdown commenced on 31 Mar 2022. [110] [111] [112] [113] | |
Union Wireless | 2015 | GSM | [114] | |
UScellular | 2024-01-14 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service will also terminate. [115] [116] | |
Verizon | 2022-12-31 | cdmaOne | CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service also terminated. [117] | |
Venezuela | Digitel | 2025 | GSM | Shutdown commenced in May 2021. [118] |
Movilnet | 2025 | GSM | [118] | |
Movistar | 2025 | GSM | Shutdown commenced on 01 July 2022. [118] | |
Vietnam | GSM | per government statement [119] Shutdown commenced in Dec 2023. [120] 2024-09 (for 2G-only devices) [121] 2026-09 (for 3G and 4G (without VoLTE) devices) [122] |
The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to describe the protocols for second-generation (2G) digital cellular networks used by mobile devices such as mobile phones and tablets. GSM is also a trade mark owned by the GSM Association. GSM may also refer to the Full Rate voice codec.
Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN) is a mobile telecommunications technology, developed by Motorola, which provides its users the benefits of a trunked radio and a cellular telephone. It was called the first mobile social network by many technology industry analysts. iDEN places more users in a given spectral space, compared to analog cellular and two-way radio systems, by using speech compression and time-division multiple access (TDMA).
3G is the third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology. It is the upgrade over 2G, 2.5G, GPRS and 2.75G Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution networks, offering faster data transfer, and better voice quality. This network was superseded by 4G, and later on by 5G. This network is based on a set of standards used for mobile devices and mobile telecommunications use services and networks that comply with the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) specifications by the International Telecommunication Union. 3G finds application in wireless voice telephony, mobile Internet access, fixed wireless Internet access, video calls and mobile TV.
Rogers Wireless Inc. is a Canadian wireless telephone company headquartered in Toronto, providing service nationally throughout Canada. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rogers Communications. The company had revenues of just under $15.1 billion in 2018. Rogers Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in Canada, with 13.7 million subscribers as of Q2 2023.
Tele2 AB is a provider of mobile and fixed connectivity, telephony, data network services, TV, streaming and global Internet of Things services, amongst others, to consumers and enterprises. It is headquartered in Kista Science City, Stockholm, Sweden. It is a major mobile network operator in Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The company initially founded Tele2 Russia, but later sold all its operations, only leasing the use of its brand name.
M1 Limited is a Singaporean telecommunications company and one of the major telcos operating in the country. M1 was founded in 1994 and traded on the Singapore Exchange from 2002 to 2019. M1 is a subsidiary of the Keppel Corporation and Singapore Press Holdings through their joint venture, Konnectivity.
United States Cellular Corporation is an American mobile network operator. It is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems Inc.. The company was formed in 1983 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. UScellular is the fifth-largest wireless carrier in the United States, with 4,656,000 subscribers in 426 markets in 21 states as of the 2nd quarter of 2023. The organization was previously known as U.S. Cellular.
One New Zealand Group Limited, stylised as One NZ, is a New Zealand telecommunications company. One NZ is the largest wireless carrier in New Zealand, accounting for 38% of the country's mobile share market in 2021.
Vodafone Italia S.p.A. is an Italian telecommunications company, subsidiary of Vodafone Group Plc. It has 30,153,000 mobile phone customers and 3,182,000 fixed phone lines, with respectively a market share of 28.5% and 16%. The company's headquarters are in Ivrea (TO) and Milan.
Hutchison 3G Enterprises S.A.R.L., trading as 3 (Three) and Hutchison 3G, is the owner of several originally UMTS-based mobile phone networks and broadband Internet providers, which operate in Hong Kong, Macau, Austria, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The XT Network was a brand name for a UMTS and LTE mobile network run by Spark New Zealand . The network was initially built nationwide on WCDMA/UMTS 850 MHz, with 2100 MHz infill in major urban areas. The UMTS network is HSPA+ enabled, with a maximum downlink transmission rate of 21.1 Mbit/s and an uplink rate of 5.2 Mbit/s attainable for capable hardware. HSPA+ has a theoretical maximum of 56 Mbit/s download speed and 22 Mbit/s upload speed. Then under Spark 4G LTE is being built out. The network is not 2G capable, Telecom never operated a public GSM network.
3G mobile telephony was relatively slow to be adopted globally. In some instances, 3G networks do not use the same radio frequencies as 2G so mobile operators must build entirely new networks and license entirely new frequencies, especially so to achieve high data transmission rates. Other delays were due to the expenses of upgrading transmission hardware, especially for UMTS, whose deployment required the replacement of most broadcast towers. Due to these issues and difficulties with deployment, many carriers delayed acquisition of these updated capabilities.
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is an LTE high-speed wireless communication standard for voice calls using mobile phones and data terminals. VoLTE has up to three times more voice and data capacity than older 3G UMTS and up to six times more than 2G GSM. It uses less bandwidth because VoLTE's packet headers are smaller than those of unoptimized VoIP/LTE. VoLTE calls are usually charged at the same rate as other calls.
This list contains the mobile country codes (MCC) and mobile network codes (MNC) for networks with country codes between 200 and 299, inclusive. This range covers Europe, as well as: the Asian parts of the Russian Federation and Turkey; Georgia; Armenia; Greenland; the Azores and Madeira as parts of Portugal; and the Canary Islands as part of Spain.
This list contains the mobile country codes and mobile network codes for networks with country codes between 300 and 399, inclusively – a region that covers North America and the Caribbean. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are included in this region as parts of the United States.
This list contains the mobile country codes and mobile network codes for networks with country codes between 400 and 499, inclusively – a region that covers Asia and the Middle East. However, the Asian parts of the Russian Federation and Turkey are included in Mobile Network Codes in ITU region 2xx (Europe), while Maritime South East Asia and Thailand are listed under Mobile Network Codes in ITU region 5xx (Oceania).
This list contains the mobile country codes and mobile network codes for networks with country codes between 500 and 599, inclusively – a region that covers Oceania, Maritime South East Asia, and Thailand. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as parts of the United States are listed under Mobile Network Codes in ITU region 3xx.