5G adoption drives global shutdown of older mobile networks

Nations adopting 5G are dismantling older mobile networks, with many carriers already dropping 3G and planning to retire 2G over the next decade, while keeping 4G in place as a bridge to 5G.

The US shut down 3G nationwide in 2022, and most major carriers plan to end 2G by 2025, clearing spectrum for faster services. Canada is winding down 2G now and will close 3G by late 2025, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency.

Several European countries are moving on similar timelines but with differing priorities. The UK plans to turn off both 2G and 3G by 2033 to focus fully on 5G.

Germany, one of Europe’s largest mobile markets, ended 3G in 2021 and will drop 2G by 2028. Due to its widespread coverage and low power consumption, countries like Germany opted to discontinue their 2G services later than 3G. France will keep 2G until the end of 2026 and 3G until the end of 2029.

Elsewhere in Europe, carriers in Czechia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, and Hungary have already shut down large parts of their 3G networks, with most European nations targeting full 2G closures by 2030.

Japan, an early adopter, ended 2G in 2012 and is phasing out 3G, with some carriers expected to switch off remaining 3G coverage by the end of 2026. China — the world’s biggest mobile market with over 1.3 billion users — is steadily dismantling 2G and 3G, which now account for less than 1% of subscribers.

Türkiye had 95.2 million mobile subscribers as of March, according to the Information and Communications Technologies Authority. About 88.1 million use 4.5G, while 3G has 4.5 million users and 2G 2.3 million. The country plans to launch 5G on April 1, 2026. In Türkiye’s 2G era, mobile carriers were granted a 25-year concession, later extended until April 2029. The 20-year 3G concession introduced in 2009 will also end in April 2029, as will the 14-year 4.5G concession granted in 2015.