Is technology hindering innovation?

Martin Morel

May 7, 2024

Min Read

For People Ops : Onboard a New Employee

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do “supported” networks fail before the official shutdown date?

Long before a final date, the base station footprint thins out as sites are decommissioned and cells refarmed to LTE, degrading rural and fringe coverage first. A network officially active until 2027 may already be unusable across much of its former area.

What's a multi-IMSI SIM?

A multi-IMSI SIM contains multiple operator identities and can switch between them based on country, signal strength or other criteria. eSIM solutions using the SGP.22 or SGP.32 specifications provide similar flexibility with remote profile management.

Are EU 2G/3G shutdowns coordinated?

No. Each operator sets its own timeline within each country and there is no common EU deadline, producing a patchwork. France clusters around 2026, Belgium and Germany have operators committed through 2030, and Italy's only firm date is 2029.

What if my fleet operates across multiple countries?

Cross-border fleets face the most complex timeline because dates differ by country and operator. The fastest-closing market sets the failure deadline and the slowest sets the upgrade timeline. Multi-IMSI or eSIM solutions that switch profiles by country improve resilience.

What's the most future-proof connectivity choice for new fleet hardware?

A multi-bearer module supporting LTE-M as primary, NB-IoT for low-power scenarios and 2G as last-resort fallback, paired with an eSIM supporting the SGP.22 and SGP.32 specifications for remote operator-profile management.

Does an eSIM solve the 2G/3G problem?

No. An eSIM solves the SIM-card problem, not the modem problem. If the modem is 2G-only or 3G-only the SIM is irrelevant. eSIMs and multi-IMSI are valuable for cross-border resilience but don't extend the life of legacy hardware.

Can I upgrade my existing devices to 4G via software?

Sometimes, but rarely. A firmware update can help only if the device has an LTE-capable radio that is disabled or locked. Most older devices have 2G-only or 3G-only modems with no LTE radio and require physical replacement.

Should I standardise on one connectivity technology across my fleet?

No. Match the bearer to the application: LTE-M for moving telematics, NB-IoT for stationary low-power infrastructure, 4G LTE (Cat 1/Cat 1 bis) for higher-bandwidth needs, and 5G only where latency or bandwidth genuinely demand it.

What is Cat 1 / Cat 1 bis / Cat 4?

These are 4G LTE module categories. Cat 1 and Cat 1 bis are becoming the default for new telematics because they balance bandwidth, power and cost. Cat 4 and Cat 6 deliver higher bandwidth for cameras and video. Cat M1 is the lower-power IoT variant.

What's the difference between LTE-M and NB-IoT?

LTE-M (Cat M1) is built for moving assets sending small, frequent data, handling tower handovers and tunnel penetration well. NB-IoT is built for stationary low-power assets with deep indoor coverage and long battery life, but doesn't handle mobility well.

Do fleets need 5G for standard telematics?

No. For standard telematics, LTE-M and NB-IoT cover the use cases at a fraction of the per-device cost and are supported well into the 2030s. 5G NR matters only for high-bandwidth, latency-sensitive applications like V2X and in-vehicle video at scale.

Why do public transit and heavy-equipment fleets face higher risk?

Vehicle lifecycles in transit, refuse and heavy equipment run 10-20 years, so a higher proportion of installed hardware predates LTE. A fleet of 200 buses can contain four or five different telematics platforms, each with its own migration story.

How long do I have to migrate?

It depends on the market and the operator SIMs in your devices. US migration has already happened; Swiss 2G is off; France's working 2G deadline is end-2026; German fleets on Vodafone IoT SIMs have until 2030. Cross-border fleets are bound by the fastest-closing market.

Will I get a warning before my devices stop working?

Not reliably. Carriers publish shutdown dates and sometimes notify enterprise customers, but those announcements rarely reach the people responsible for individual fleet hardware. Many managers learn of it only when telemetry goes gappy.

What happens to my fleet if I do nothing?

Devices lose connectivity, gradually or all at once. Telematics units stop reporting location, diagnostics and fuel data; maintenance schedules built on remote fault codes miss things; and workflows that depend on real-time data break.

Will my equipment fail immediately on the shutdown date?

Usually no. Devices start failing before the formal closure date as operators decommission base stations and refarm spectrum, so coverage thins out first in rural and fringe areas. Many devices struggle silently for months before the official shutdown.

How can I tell if my fleet still uses 2G or 3G?

Run a practical audit: identify installed modems (anything 2G/EDGE-only or 3G/HSPA-only without LTE fallback is at risk), check the actual radio bearer on SIM profiles, note install dates (pre-2018 is suspect), and confirm whether the OEM still supports firmware updates.

What types of fleet equipment are affected by the 2G/3G shutdown?

Telematics units and GPS trackers, CAN-bus and diagnostic modules, fuel sensors, driver terminals, tachograph download modules, cargo and trailer trackers, cold-chain sensors, depot communication systems and older eCall units. Devices installed before 2018 are at highest risk.

What about Saudi Arabia and the Middle East?

In Saudi Arabia, STC has shut down 3G (December 2022) and runs a mixed 2G footprint, while Mobily and Zain still run both with no published end dates. Operators should verify coverage before relying on legacy connectivity.

What's the 2G/3G situation in China?

3G is closed at China Mobile and China Telecom and scheduled at China Unicom by end-2025. 2G coverage varies by operator and region and is not reliable for new deployments, so fleets should plan on 4G LTE as the baseline.

Are 2G and 3G still available in Singapore?

No. Both are closed across Singtel, StarHub and M1, which closed 2G in April 2017 and 3G in 2024. Any equipment in a Singapore fleet must be on 4G LTE or 5G.

What's the status of 2G and 3G in Canada?

2G is closed across all major operators. 3G is in active shutdown: Rogers closed August 2025, TELUS targets March 2026, Bell targets early 2027, and Freedom began July 2025. Both legacy networks will be effectively gone by end-2027.

Has 2G or 3G been shut down in the US?

Yes, essentially. AT&T closed 2G in 2017 and 3G in 2022, T-Mobile closed 3G in 2022 with a 2G wind-down signalled by 2028, and Verizon closed 3G in 2022. For US fleets the migration has already happened or the device is dark.

What about Luxembourg?

3G is essentially over at all three operators. 2G timelines diverge: POST plans closure by end-2026, Orange Luxembourg will maintain 2G through end-2030, and Tango has no published end date.

When does 2G shut down in the Netherlands?

Timing varies by operator. Odido closed 2G in June 2023, Vodafone plans closure by end-2026, and KPN extended its 2G commitment to December 2027 to give M2M and IoT users time to migrate.

What's the status of 2G and 3G in Belgium?

3G is fully closed. 2G has a longer runway than neighbouring countries: Proximus and Telenet support it through end-2027 and Orange Belgium through end-2030, making Belgium one of the few viable medium-term 2G markets.

Has 2G been shut down in Switzerland?

Yes. 2G is closed across Swisscom (April 2021), Sunrise (January 2023) and Salt (December 2020), so any 2G device in Switzerland is already offline. 3G is mostly gone, with Swisscom the last to close it by end-2025.

When does 2G shut down in Spain?

2G is still broadly available. Orange Spain is the only operator with a firm closure date, end-2030. Movistar and Vodafone Spain remain active with no published 2G end dates. 3G is partly gone.

Is 2G still active in Italy?

Yes, on TIM, Vodafone Italia and WINDTRE. TIM has the only firm shutdown date so far, end-2029. Italy is currently one of the more permissive markets for older 2G hardware, but that won't last.

When does 2G shut down in the UK?

Timing varies sharply: Virgin Media O2 plans October 2025, EE starts May 2029, and Vodafone UK targets 2030. Three UK never deployed 2G, and 3G is essentially over across all major operators.

When does 2G shut down in Germany?

Deutsche Telekom plans a 2G shutdown in June 2028. Vodafone Germany will keep 2G for IoT and M2M through end-2030, and O2's 2G remains active with no published end date. 3G is fully closed at all major German operators.

When does 2G shut down in France?

Orange, Bouygues Telecom and SFR all plan to close 2G by end-2026, with Orange beginning phased closures on 31 March 2026. 3G closures follow in 2028-2029. Free Mobile never deployed 2G.

What's the difference between the 2G shutdown and the 3G shutdown?

They are separate events on different timelines. In most markets 3G closes first while 2G survives longer for legacy IoT and emergency services, so 3G devices typically fail first and 2G devices have a slightly longer runway.

When will 2G and 3G be completely gone?

There is no single global deadline. North America and Singapore are essentially complete, while Western Europe is mid-transition with most operators retiring 2G between 2026 and 2030. Some operators have committed to maintain 2G through end-2030.

Why are operators retiring 2G and 3G?

Three reasons: spectrum is more valuable reallocated to 4G LTE and 5G; running four parallel network generations is expensive; and 2G in particular has security weaknesses such as weak encryption and no mutual authentication.

What is the 2G/3G shutdown?

Mobile operators worldwide are retiring 2G and 3G networks to reclaim spectrum for 4G LTE and 5G. Any device that depends on 2G or 3G loses connectivity as carriers wind these networks down, on different schedules in different countries.

What should fleets do to prepare?

Inventory your connected devices, flag any 2G/3G-only hardware, and plan upgrades to 4G LTE / LTE-M or 5G-capable units before your local shutdown date to avoid losing connectivity.

How do I know if my fleet devices use 2G or 3G?

Check the modem or module specification of each telematics device, or ask your provider. Any unit listed as 2G-only or 3G-only is most at risk when networks retire.

When will 2G and 3G networks be switched off?

Timing varies by country and carrier. Many 3G networks in North America and parts of Europe and Asia-Pacific have already been retired, with remaining 2G/3G shutdowns scheduled through the late 2020s. Check the timeline for each market your fleet operates in.