Sunset calendar: 2G, 3G and NB-IoT

A 2G/3G switch-off is the easiest trap in IoT planning: the network ends before the device does. According to GSA, as of 2026-06, 313 2G/3G switch-offs in 89 countries were counted: 158 done, 119 planned and 36 under way. 2G covers 139 operators in 70 markets (56 done); 3G covers 174 operators in 67 markets (102 done). Europe accounts for 43% of all switch-offs.⁴³⁴⁴

Replacing 2G in EuropeFrance by end-2026, Germany in 2028, the UK by 2033: timetable, affected devices, what to choose and supply →

NB-IoT and LTE-M shutdowns

Lists can lag: GSMA’s Mobile IoT list (November 2025) still shows AT&T NB-IoT, which shut down in Q1 2025. Check the operator’s own notices when choosing a technology.⁴⁵⁴⁶

Devices still on 2G or 3G? MF833V and Dongle 400 run on 4G LTE; F40 runs on 5G RedCap.

Sources

1. B S. Korea to end 2G network services by June Yonhap · 2021-01-17
2. B T-Mobile to finally turn off 2G Light Reading · 2023-02
3. C Singapore switched off 2G on 1 April 2017 PhoneTravelWiz · 2023
4. B 2G in the Netherlands: KPN switches off on 1 December 2027; Vodafone between end-2026 and 2030; Vodafone ended 3G in January 2020 Bright · 2026
5. B Airtel to shut down 3G across all 22 circles by March 2020; L900 4G added to 2300 and 1800 MHz tele.net · 2019
6. B China Unicom to exit 2G; China Telecom began closing 3G in Yunnan (June 2020) IT Home (IT之家) · 2021
7. B SK Telecom to end 2G service on 6 July Telecompaper · 2020-06-17
8. B 3G switch-off in Italy: Vodafone finished in February 2021, TIM on 15 October 2022; WindTre and Iliad later SosTariffe · 2023-09
9. B O2 switches off its last 3G sites on 30 December 2021 mobiFlip · 2021-12-30
10. B 3G shutdown plans of Telekom, Vodafone and O2 (Telekom: 30 June 2021) TECHBOOK · 2020-09-22
11. B China Mobile 2G licence ends 2025-12-31; Verizon 3G closed 2022-12-31 Jiemian News (界面新闻) · 2026-04
12. B KPN shut down 3G in March 2022 and announced its 2G sunset Total Telecom · 2024-03
13. A End of feature-phone site; 3G end dates: docomo 2026-03-31, SoftBank 2024-04-15, KDDI 2022-03-31 City of Yokohama · 2026-03-17
14. B Etisalat UAE: LTE on B3/B7 (2011), B20 added in 2014; 3G shut down December 2022 Powertec · 2026
15. A 3G shutdown in Q4 2022 and 2G in Q4 2025 (business plan) stc · 2022
16. B Frequencies in Polish mobile networks: T-Mobile ended 3G in Q2 2023, Orange started in September 2023 and finishes by end-2025; C-band at Orange, Play and T-Mobile Telepolis · 2024
17. A Consequences of switching off 2G and 3G: KPN and VodafoneZiggo have ended 3G, Odido at the earliest in August 2026; Odido has ended 2G, KPN in December 2027, VodafoneZiggo not before end-2026 ACM · 2024-12
18. B The 3G switch-off advances in Spain: Vodafone finished in 2024, Movistar in its final phase towards 2027, MasOrange keeps 2G to 2030 Xataka Móvil · 2026
19. B UK 2G / 3G switch-off timeline CSL Group · 2026-09-30
20. B Optus and Telstra delay 3G shutdown to October; Vodafone Australia closed 3G at the end of January 2024 DatacenterDynamics · 2024-08
21. B Zain KSA: LTE on B3, B1, B8 and B38 TDD; 3G shut down January 2024 Powertec · 2026
22. B 3G sunset: M1 closed 3G on schedule on 31 July 2024; Singtel and StarHub extended to November 2024 ABI Research · 2024
23. A The 3G network is closing down: Telstra and Optus from 28 October 2024; TPG/Vodafone already off Australian Government (business.gov.au) · 2024-10
24. B Freedom Mobile to shutter 3G in part of Ontario (Rogers completed its 3G shutdown in 2025) MobileSyrup · 2026-09
25. C 3G switch-off in Italy: WindTre’s phase-out expected to finish by the end of 2025 ComparaSemplice · 2025
26. B CRA mandates the end of 3G in Qatar by 31 December 2025; import of 2G/3G-only phones banned Gulf Times · 2024-08-19
27. A Ministry of Communications decision: 2G and 3G end on 31 December 2025; no new 2G/3G-only devices (incl. M2M) from 1 January 2023 Partner Communications · 2021-06-28
28. B Movistar is switching off 3G; Telefónica later pointed to 2026 for 2G BandaAncha.eu · 2026-10-02
29. B Spark completes 3G retirement: all New Zealand 3G now off (One NZ the week before, 2degrees in February) DatacenterDynamics · 2026-04
30. B One NZ begins 3G shutdown; the last 2G network, run by One NZ, closes on the same day as its 3G Newstalk ZB · 2026-01
31. B 2G/3G switch-off sprint in China; Korea’s WCDMA rights expire 2026-12-31 IT Times (IT时报), via 36Kr · 2026-06-08
32. B Odido keeps 3G until at least 1 August 2026 and will announce the date at least six months ahead Emerce · 2024
33. B T-Mobile will shut down 2G GSM on August 3, 2026 Android Authority · 2026-07-02
34. C Poland: networks, bands, 3G shutdowns and the March 2025 700 MHz auction Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki · 2026
35. A Switch-off of 2G and 3G mobile networks: operator timetable Arcep · 2026
36. B SKT to gradually end 3G by end-2027; KT preparing to halt new sign-ups 머니투데이 (MT) · 2026-08-20
37. B FAQ: 3G/HSPA network discontinuation in Canada Canada Telecoms consumer FAQ · 2026-03-16
38. A 3G network retirement: 1 March 2027 nationally, 14 April 2026 in Manitoba TELUS · 2026-10-02
39. B MasOrange confirms 3G ends 31 Dec 2027 and 2G 31 Dec 2030 (OpenTech event) Roams · 2026-10-02
40. B 2G and 3G switch-off in Brazil: full shutdown expected by 2028; Anatel stops certifying 2G/3G-only devices from 2025 Teletime · 2024-12
41. B After Telekom and Vodafone, o2 also switches off 2G in the second half of 2028 teltarif · 2026-06
42. B Vodafone sets September 2028 for 2G (IoT residual network to end-2030); Telekom 30 June 2028 PCtipp · 2025
43. B 2G and 3G Switch-Off – August 2026 GSA · 2026-08
44. B Europe takes lead in global 2G and 3G switch-off Light Reading · 2026-08
45. B Mobile IoT network launches (Nov 2025) GSMA · 2025-11
46. B AT&T to discontinue NB-IoT, but T-Mobile and Verizon keep the faith Light Reading · 2024-11-21
47. B 2G and 3G shutdowns continue TeleGeography · 2025
48. B What’s next for NB-IoT in 2025? (incl. NTT Docomo ending NB-IoT in 2020) Eseye · 2025-01-17
49. B AT&T to decommission NB-IoT network by 2025 Counterpoint Research · 2024-11-29