TMT
Operators across the globe have either already shut down 3G services or are planning to do so in the near future – a process that has been dubbed ‘ sunsetting ’. As a rule , 3G services are being retired sooner than 2G , which will remain available in many countries – especially in Europe – for some time yet .
2G remains the go-to option for supporting most IoT applications but , eventually , next-gen IoT products will use 4G , 5G and the latest Low Power Wide Area Network ( LPWAN ) technologies to ensure they remain connected throughout their lifecycle . As for 3G , its days are well and truly numbered . For many years , 3G was 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 , 3G has been rendered redundant .
The shutdown has been a long time coming . For some time now , several new technologies co-existed with legacy tech until becoming too problematic for carriers to manage and manufacturers to support . And so , according to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association , by October 2022 , 51 operators had completed the 2G / 3G switch-off , 97 were planning to do so and eight were in the progress of doing so . A full list of who is turning off what , and when , is available here .
Following some analysis , it seems the view that individual operators in specific countries have of the switch-off are shaped by the unique circumstances in that country .
60 July 2023