2G

For other uses, see 2G (disambiguation).

2G, or second-generation cellular network technology, marks the transition from analog to digital communication in mobile networks. Defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) under the GSM standard, which became the first globally adopted framework for mobile communications, 2G was first commercially launched in 1991 by Radiolinja (now part of Elisa Oyj) in Finland.^[1] Following its introduction, the earlier mobile wireless network systems were retroactively designated as 1G. 2G networks were primarily designed to support voice calls and Short Message Service (SMS), with later advancements such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) enabling basic data services, including email and limited internet access. Unlike 1G networks, which used analog radio signals, 2G networks utilized digital radio signals for communication between mobile devices and base stations. This transition to digital technology enabled the implementation of encryption for voice calls and data transmission, significantly improving the security of mobile communications while also increasing capacity and efficiency compared to earlier analog systems.

Later 2G releases, often referred to as 2.5G and 2.75G, include General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE). GPRS allows 2G networks to achieve a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 40 kbit/s (5 kB/s). EDGE increases this capacity, providing a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 384 kbit/s (48 kB/s).

2G was succeeded by 3G technology, which provided higher data transfer rates and expanded mobile internet capabilities.

Technical overview

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:

• Digitally encrypted phone conversations, at least between the mobile phone and the cellular base station but not necessarily in the rest of the network.
• Significantly more efficient use of the radio frequency spectrum enabling more users per frequency band.
• Data services for mobile, starting with SMS text messages then expanding to Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).

Evolution

Cellular network standards and generation timeline. (Large titles on the colored area refer to the lines to their right.

2.5G (GPRS)

Main article: GPRS

2.5G ("second-and-a-half generation") refers to 2G systems that incorporate a packet-switched domain alongside the existing circuit-switched domain, most commonly implemented through General Packet Radio Service (GPRS).^[3] GPRS enables packet-based data transmission by dynamically allocating multiple timeslots to users, improving network efficiency. However, this does not inherently provide faster speeds, as similar techniques, such as timeslot bundling, are also employed in circuit-switched data services like High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data (HSCSD). Within GPRS-enabled 2G systems, the theoretical maximum transfer rate is 40 kbit/s (5 kB/s).^[4]

2.75G (EDGE)

Main article: EDGE

2.75G refers to the evolution of GPRS networks into EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) networks, achieved through the introduction of 8PSK (8 Phase Shift Keying) encoding. While the symbol rate remained constant at 270.833 samples per second, the use of 8PSK allowed each symbol to carry three bits instead of one, significantly increasing data transmission efficiency. Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), also known as Enhanced GPRS (EGPRS) or IMT Single Carrier (IMT-SC), is a backward-compatible digital mobile phone technology built as an extension to standard GSM. First deployed in 2003 by AT&T in the United States, EDGE offers a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 384 kbit/s (48 kB/s).^[4]

2.875G (EDGE Evolution)

Evolved EDGE (also known as EDGE Evolution or 2.875G) is an enhancement of the EDGE mobile technology that was introduced as a late-stage upgrade to 2G networks. While EDGE was first deployed in the early 2000s as part of GSM networks, Evolved EDGE was launched much later, coinciding with the widespread adoption of 3G technologies such as HSPA and just before the emergence of 4G networks. This timing limited its practical application.

Evolved EDGE increased data throughput and reduced latencies (down to 80 ms) by utilizing improved modulation techniques, dual carrier support, dual antennas, and turbo codes. It achieved peak data rates of up to 1 Mbit/s, significantly enhancing network efficiency for operators that had not yet transitioned to 3G or 4G infrastructures. However, despite its technical improvements, Evolved EDGE was never widely deployed. By the time it became available, most network operators were focused on implementing more advanced technologies like UMTS and LTE. As of 2016, no commercial networks were reported to support Evolved EDGE.

Phase-out

See also: GSM § Discontinuation

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]

As a legacy protocol, 2G connectivity is considered 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]

Android 12 and later provide a network setting to disable 2G connectivity for the device.^[18] iOS 16 and later can disable 2G connectivity by enabling Lockdown Mode.^[19]

Criticism

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.^[20] Terminating 2G services could leave vulnerable people who rely on 2G infrastructure unable to communicate even with emergency contacts, causing harm and possibly deaths.^[21]

Past 2G networks

Country	Status	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.[22]
Anguilla		Digicel	active	GSM	900 MHz: 5 MHz GSM + 5 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz: 5 MHz UMTS [23][24][25][26]
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM	[27][28]
Antigua and Barbuda	No Service	APUA	2018-04-01	GSM	[29]
		Digicel	2024-05-31	GSM	[30]
		FLOW	2024-07-31	GSM	[31]
Aruba	partially unconfirmed	Digicel	2024-06-30	GSM	[32]
		SETAR	active	GSM	GSM-900 & GSM-1900
Australia	No Service	Hutchison 3	2006-08-09	cdmaOne	[33][34][35][36][37]
		Optus	2017-08-01	GSM	2G shut down in WA and NT on 3 Apr 2017.[38][39]
		Telstra	2008-04-28	cdmaOne	[40][41][42][43][44]
		Telstra	2016-12-01	GSM	[45]
		Vodafone	2018-06-14	GSM	[46]
Bahamas	No Service	Aliv	N/A	(no 2G)
		BTC	2024-06-30	GSM	[47][48][49]
Bahrain		Batelco	2021-11-30	GSM	[50]
Barbados	partially unconfirmed	Digicel	2025-03-31	GSM	900 MHz: 6 MHz GSM / 1800 MHz: 12 MHz GSM [51]
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM
Belgium		Orange	2030	GSM	[52]
		Telenet	2027	GSM	[53]
		Proximus	2027	GSM	[54]
Bermuda		Digicel	active	GSM	1900 MHz: 15 MHz GSM + 15 MHz LTE [55]
		One	active	GSM	1900 MHz: 5 MHz GSM + 20 MHz LTE [55]
Bonaire	partially unconfirmed	Digicel	2025-03-31	GSM
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM
British Virgin Islands		CCT	active	GSM	1900 MHz: 10 MHz GSM + 20 MHz LTE [56]
		Digicel	active	GSM	1800 MHz: 15 MHz GSM 1900 MHz: 5 MHz GSM + 10 MHz UMTS [56]
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM	[57]
Brunei	No Service	UNN	2021-06-01	GSM	National Wholesale Network used by DSTCom, Progresif and imagine.[58][59]
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.[60][61]
		Rogers Wireless	TBD	GSM	1900 MHz shutdown in Jun 2021. 850 MHz remains active.[62][63][64][65]
		SaskTel	2017-07-31	cdmaOne	[66][67]
		Telus Mobility	2017-05-31	cdmaOne	[68][69]
Cayman Islands	partially unconfirmed	Digicel	2020-07-01	GSM	[70][71]
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM
China		China Mobile	active	GSM	900 MHz: 15 MHz GSM 1800 MHz: 25 MHz GSM [72]
		China Telecom	2025	cdmaOne	Local shutdown commenced on 01 Jun 2020. CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A/B (3G) service also terminates.[72][73][74]
		China Unicom	2025	GSM	Local shutdown commenced on 18 Apr 2018.[72][75][76][74][77]
Chile		Entel	2024 Q3	GSM	Local shutdown commenced on 22 Jul 2024 in the Arica and Parinacota Region.[78]
Colombia		Claro	2023-02-23	GSM	[79][80]
		Tigo	2022-11-01	GSM	[81]
Curaçao		Digicel	2025-03-31	GSM
		FLOW	2024-02-29	GSM	[82][83]
Dominica	partially unconfirmed	Digicel	2027-03-31	GSM
		FLOW	2024-03-??	GSM	[84]
France		Bouygues	2026-12-31	GSM	[85]
		Orange	2026-09	GSM	[52]
		SFR	2026	GSM	[86]
Germany		Deutsche Telekom	2028-06-30	GSM	[87]
		Vodafone	2030-12-31	GSM	[88]
		Telefónica (O2)	TBD	GSM
Grenada	unconfirmed	Digicel	2024-03-31	GSM
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM
Guam	unconfirmed	GTA Teleguam	?	GSM
Hong Kong		3	2008-11-20	cdmaOne	Shut down due to license expiry. Government originally did not allow the license to be renewed due to unpopularity, however the government later reversed the decision and held an auction for CDMA2000 service, which PCCW-HKT won the auction and provided CDMA2000 service immediately after 3's license expiry.
		3	2021-09-30	GSM	[89]
		CMHK	active	GSM	1800 MHz only
		CSL	2005	D-AMPS	Service previously provided by Pacific Link, which subsequently merged into CSL. Shut down due to license expiry. Government did not allow the license to be renewed due to unpopularity.
		CSL	2017-10-31	cdmaOne	Service previously provided by PCCW. After acquisition of CSL by HKT, it's mobile business PCCW Mobile was merged into CSL. No service for local customers, only served incoming roaming tourists. CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated.[90]
		CSL	2024-11-08	GSM	[91]
		SmarTone	2022-10-14	GSM	[92]
Iceland			2025	GSM	Per government statement.[93]
Israel		Hot Mobile	2019-12-31	iDEN	[94]
			2025	GSM	Per government statement.[95]
Jamaica	No Service	Digicel	2024-08-31	GSM	[96][97]
		FLOW	2024-04-15	GSM	[98][97][99]
Japan	No Service	au KDDI	2012-07-22	cdmaOne	[100]
		NTT Docomo	2012-03-31	PDC	[101]
		Softbank	2010-03-31	PDC	[102]
Jordan		Umniah	2021-03-11	GSM	[103]
Luxembourg		Orange	2030	GSM	[52]
Macau	No Service	CTM	2019-08-01	GSM	Service for local customers terminated on 4 Jun 2015, but remained for roaming users.[104][105][106]
		3	2019-08-01	GSM	Service for local customers terminated on 4 Jun 2015, but remained for roaming users.[104][105]
		SmarTone	2019-08-01	GSM	Service for local customers terminated on 4 Jun 2015, but remained for roaming users.[104][105]
Mexico		AT&T	2019-09-01	GSM	[107] Local shutdown commenced in Q1 2019.
		Movistar	2021-01-01	GSM	[108]
Montserrat	unconfirmed	Digicel	?	GSM
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM
Netherlands		KPN	2025-12-01	GSM	[109]
		T-Mobile	2021-06-01 / 2023-11-15 (IoT)	GSM	[110]
New Caledonia		OPT-NC	2025	GSM	Shutdown commenced in 2022.[111]
New Zealand		2degrees	2018-03-15	GSM	[112]
		Spark	2012-07-31	cdmaOne	[113][114]
Norway		Telenor	2025	GSM	[115]
		Telia	2025	GSM	[115]
Panama		Digicel	2022-06-30	GSM	Complete shutdown of operations and market exit.[116][117][118][119]
Peru		Bitel	N/A	(no 2G)
Poland		Orange	2030	GSM	[52]
Romania		Orange	2030	GSM	[52]
Saint Kitts and Nevis		Digicel	2027-03-31	GSM
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM	[120]
Saint Lucia	partially unconfirmed	Digicel	2027-03-31	GSM
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM	[121]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines		Digicel	2027-03-31	GSM
		FLOW	2023-09-30	GSM	[122][123][124][125]
Singapore	No Service	M1	2017-04-18	GSM	[126]
		Singtel	2017-04-18	GSM	[126]
		StarHub	2017-04-18	GSM	[126]
Sint Maarten  Saba  Sint Eustatius	No Service	TelCell	2019-01-01	GSM	[127]
		FLOW (UTS)	2017-09-26	GSM	[128]
Slovakia		Orange	2030	GSM	[52]
South Africa			TBD	GSM	Per government statement.[129][130]
South Korea	No Service	KT	2012-03-19	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rel. 0 (3G) service has also terminated.[131]
		LG Uplus	2021-06-30	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A/B (3G) service has also terminated.[132]
		SK Telecom	2020-07-27	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rel. 0 (3G) service has also terminated.[133]
Spain		Orange	2030	GSM	[52]
Sweden		Net4Mobility (Telenor/Tele2)	2025-12-31	GSM	2G network will be shut down by the end of 2025.[134][135][136]
		Telia	2027	GSM	Shutdown pushed back from 2025 to 2027.[137][138]
Switzerland	No Service	Salt	2020-12-31	GSM	Shutdown commenced on 1 Jul 2020. A few single 2G-only sites remained until Sep 2023 to preserve CSFB functionality.[139][140][141]
		Sunrise	2023-01-03	GSM	With the introduction of S-RAN in 2018 phaseout was previously postponed to 2022.[142][143][144]
		Swisscom	2021-04-07	GSM	Official shutdown on 31 Dec 2020 (guaranteed availability).[145][146][147]
Taiwan	No Service	Chunghwa Telecom	2017-06-30	GSM	[148]
		FarEasTone	2017-06-30	GSM	[148]
		Taiwan Mobile	2017-06-30	GSM	[148]
Trinidad and Tobago		Digicel	2024-12-31	GSM	[149][150][151]
		bmobile (TSTT)	TBD	GSM	850 MHz: 2.5 MHz GSM + 5 MHz UMTS [152][153]
Turks and Caicos Islands		Digicel	2025-06-30	GSM	900 MHz: 9.8 MHz GSM [154]
		FLOW	2024-04-22	GSM	[155]
United Arab Emirates	No Service	Du	2023-12-31	GSM	[156]
		Etisalat	2023-12-31	GSM	[157]
United Kingdom			2033	GSM	Per government statement on confirmation by mobile providers.[158][159][160]
United States  Puerto Rico  US Virgin Islands		AT&T	2017-01-01	GSM	[161]
		Cellcom (US only)	2023-12-01	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated.[162]
		Claro (PR only)	2028-12-31	GSM
		Commnet Wireless (Choice) (US only)	2022-12-31	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated.[163]
		Copper Valley Wireless	2022-09-30	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated.[164]
		T-Mobile	2024-10	GSM	Shutdown commenced on 1 Sep 2024.[165][166]
		T-Mobile (Sprint)	2022-05-31	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated. Shutdown commenced on 31 Mar 2022.[167][168][169][170]
		UScellular (US only)	2024-01-14	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated.[171][172]
		Verizon (US only)	2022-12-31	cdmaOne	CDMA2000 1xRTT, EV-DO Rev. A (3G) service has also terminated.[173]
Venezuela		Digitel	2025	GSM	Shutdown commenced in May 2021.[174]
		Movilnet	2025	GSM	[174]
		Movistar	2025	GSM	Shutdown commenced on 01 Jul 2022.[174]
Vietnam	No Service	Gmobile	2024-10-16	GSM	per government regulation[175]
		Mobifone	2024-10-16	GSM	per government regulation[175]
		Vietnamobile	N/A	(no 2G)
		Viettel	2024-10-16	GSM	per government regulation[175]
		Vinaphone	2024-10-16	GSM	per government regulation[175]

See also

• Cliff effect
• Dropout
• List of mobile phone generations
• Mobile radio telephone, also known as 0G
• 1G
• 3G
• 4G
• 5G
• 6G
• Wireless device radiation and health

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Preceded by 1st Generation (1G)

Mobile Telephony Generations

Succeeded by 3rd Generation (3G)