A new Digital Connectivity Forum report argues that learning from international experience now will be critical to avoiding higher costs, greater risk and disruption to essential services later
A new report from the Digital Connectivity Forum (DCF) finds that while there is no single international blueprint for closing 2G networks, countries that have managed the transition successfully have shared common approaches that the UK will need to adopt as it plans to retire 2G services by 2033.
The report, “A Generational Shift: international lessons from 2G network sunsetting”, examines how governments, regulators and mobile network operators in a range of markets have approached the withdrawal of 2G services. Authored by Plum Consulting, the study focuses on what has worked, where problems have emerged, and how those experiences translate to the UK context.
The report concludes that early and sustained engagement with affected sectors, clear and consistent communication with customers, coordination between operators, and proportionate involvement from government and regulators are critical to a smooth switch-off. It also cautions that once 2G traffic has declined to very low levels, delaying action can actually increase costs and operational risks, rather than reducing disruption.
Across the countries studied, the motivation for retiring 2G is consistent. Operators are seeking to reduce operating and maintenance costs, improve spectrum efficiency by refarming frequencies for newer technologies, and strengthen network security. The report also lists energy and environmental benefits from decommissioning legacy infrastructure, alongside the opportunity to support investment in more advanced networks such as 5G standalone.
However, the analysis highlights that the technical shutdown of 2G radio access networks is rarely the most difficult part of the process. Instead, the complexity lies in identifying and migrating residual users, particularly those relying on machine-to-machine and IoT applications. These include telecare and personal alarm systems, smart meters, industrial monitoring equipment and other embedded devices that may have long replacement cycles and limited visibility.
In several international cases, underestimating the scale or criticality of these dependencies led to delays and, in some instances, last-minute interventions to protect vulnerable users. We’ve covered these in Australia and Sweden for example. The report stresses that a lack of accurate data on remaining 2G usage is a recurring problem, making it harder for operators and policymakers to plan effectively.
Industry led
Turning to the UK, the report notes that all mobile network operators have committed to retiring 2G services by 2033 at the latest, with some indicating earlier timelines. Ofcom has supported the industry-led approach, emphasising the need to protect consumers, maintain resilience and ensure that critical services are not disrupted. The regulator has also highlighted the importance of coordination across the sector, given that 2G is still used as a fallback technology for voice and SMS in some areas.
“The UK’s 2G switch-off is both necessary and achievable, but international experience shows it needs to be handled carefully,” said DCF chair Lindsey Fussell. “This report highlights that the biggest risks are not technical, but relate to visibility of remaining 2G use, coordination across sectors, and protecting vulnerable users. By learning from other countries’ experience now, the UK has an opportunity to manage this transition in a way that supports network modernisation while maintaining trust and continuity for consumers and businesses.”
The report argues that the UK is at a relatively early stage compared with some international peers, which provides an opportunity to address risks proactively. It identifies a need for better information-sharing between operators, government departments and sectors that depend on 2G connectivity, particularly health, utilities and transport.
Elsewhere in Europe
In Switzerland, 2G networks were shut down at the beginning of 2023. The process was started in 2021 by Swisscom and completed by Sunrise in 2023. Swisscom’s 2G network carried less than 0.03% of mobile traffic by the end of 2020. Ahead of the shut-down, operators conducted direct consultations with affected industries and stakeholders rather than through a single government-led public consultation. Each provider handled the communication and shutdown of its own network. And while the project mostly worked, some sectors needed further uplift – an estimated 100,000 out of 250,000 lifts in Switzerland were affected by the 2G switch-off.
Sweden and Iceland are noted as “in the process” of closing 2G. Iceland will complete the shutdown of its 2G and 3G mobile networks in 2026. As of the end of October 2025, Nova and Sýn (Vodafone) have already completed the phase-out of their 2G networks and are nearing completion of the 3G shutdown. The regulator, Electronic Communications Office of Iceland (ECOI), has not had many complaints as a result either.
ECOI has been managing the 2G/3G shutdown process since 2022, launching an open consultation in early 2023 and subsequently postponing the shutdown date in response to feedback to allow operators adequate time for infrastructure upgrades and to enable businesses to transition their 2G IoT devices to 4G and 5G technologies like LTE-M and NB-IoT. To safeguard service quality, ECOI included coverage obligations in operators’ spectrum licenses based on population percentages and established a dedicated website where consumers can access guidance on improving mobile signal reception, submit feedback, and file complaints about service quality issues.
In Sweden, Tele2 and Telenor plan to shut down their 2G networks by December 2025. Telia aims to stop providing 2G service by the end of 2027 to provide a smoother transition for mainly business customers.
In France, SFR has set the date for its 2G closure as 31 December 2026, and 3G closure as 31 December 2028. Bouygues announced its 2G closure on 31 December 2026, and 3G closure on 31 December 2029. In Germany, 2G networks are still operational, and no switch-off is expected for at least two years. According to the latest annual market survey by regulator Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), the majority (88%) of data traffic via mobile networks was carried out via LTE, while only ten percent of data traffic was carried out via 5G and two percent of data traffic was carried out via the GSM network (2G).
Interestingly, Austria and Italy have no plans to end 2G yet. All major Austrian operators (A1 Telekom Austria, Magenta Telekom, and 3 Austria) have kept their 2G (GSM) networks active to date and currently have no concrete plans for a shutdown until at least 2030. In contrast, 3G is being gradually phased out in Austria, and the full switch off is expected by the end of 2025. Plum found that 2G continues to be of particular importance, especially for voice telephony in Austria. This is the main reason why 2G will still be available in Austria for several years to come. While alternatives of VoLTE and VoNR make it possible to make carry calls via 4G or 5G, these are not yet widespread.
In Italy, TIM completed its 3G shut down in October 2022 and the planned shut down for its 2G network is December 2029. Vodafone turned off 3G network in February 2021 and its planned shut down for the 2G network is 2025. Windtre is shutting down its 3G network in December 2025, and it is maintaining its 2G network for now.
Coordinated action
In its conclusions, the report sets out several recommendations for the UK. The 2G network switch-off requires coordinated action across multiple stakeholders: Ofcom, DSIT and government should help operators assess potential issues, engage with stakeholders to identify unfulfilled needs, amplify communications, investigate migration funding options, and protect consumer rights during the transition.
Operators in turn must communicate clearly with all parties, set timelines well in advance, participate in international standardization efforts for replacement technologies, consider wholesale or private network solutions for concentrated user areas, work with charities to identify vulnerable users, and proceed with the switch-off promptly once traffic drops sufficiently.
Beyond just operators, service providers and users must stop providing 2G-dependent devices, transition to alternative connectivity options, work with operators to identify coverage gaps, and examine supply chains to ensure compatibility with newer networks – all aimed at ensuring a smooth transition that protects vulnerable users while enabling efficient decommissioning of outdated infrastructure.
