It is inevitable that when one technology prevails over another , the first one ends up disappearing. In mobile telephony, we are currently experiencing a transition period. 4G networks are the most common, although 3G networks still survive and, little by little, the next generation, 5G, is being implemented. So what happens to previous technologies? The shutdown of 2G networks is inevitable and has been going on for a long time. But it is also underway, at a certain distance, the shutdown of 3G.
If in the field of wired internet, fiber optics is gaining ground over the copper pair, in mobile telephony, two needs come together. The shutdown of the 2G and 3G networks responds to the reduction of maintenance costs in practically unused networks. And on the other hand, the need to take advantage of the radio spectrum that the 2G and 3G networks will leave after their disappearance.
The progressive implementation of the 5G network in Spain requires turning the page on the 2G and 3G networks. Currently, 2G and 3G networks coexist in the 900 MHz band. And in rural areas, they are joined by 4G. In the future, it should become free for 5G. For its part, the 800 MHz band is dedicated to 4G. And the 700 MHz band corresponds to 5G. And in later bands there are cases of coexistence such as the 1.8 GHz and 2.1 GHz bands. In the first, 2G, 4G and 5G coexist. In the second, 3G, 4G and 5G. The abandonment of 2G and 3G will leave the entire frequency free for 5G.
But leaving aside bandwidths, frequencies and generations of mobile telephony, the question for the user is, how does the progressive shutdown of 2G and 3G affect us mobile telephony customers? ?
Make way for 5G
In the summer of 2021, the Spanish Government auctioned off the 700 MHz band. The radioelectric spectrum is publicly owned but telecommunications companies can exploit it for services such as telephony, television or internet access. As usual, the distribution was between the three large Spanish groups with their own infrastructure: Movistar, Vodafone and Orange. And during 2022, auctions will be held for the 26 GHz band. To these two bands must be added the 3.5 Ghz band, which in successive auctions has gone to Vodafone mostly but also to MásMóvil, Telefónica and Orange.
But for a technology as ambitious as 5G, it is necessary to free up the bands currently occupied by 2G and 3G. And that, in reality, they are falling more and more into disuse. Especially 2G, which we all remember by the acronym GPRS. And at a certain distance, 3G, still in use in certain areas that 4G does not reach or that is even used in areas with 4G for voice calls, leaving 4G for the transport of high speed data.
Asian countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Singapore or South Korea have already shut down their 2G networks. In Australia it occurred in 2018. And in Mexico, Movistar turned off its 2G network in 2021. In Europe, the situation varies depending on the country. The first to abandon 2G and 3G by some operators have been Switzerland, Sweden and Norway. The UK, for example, relies on 2G for payment terminals. And the cars approved in Europe that allow automatic communication are emergency services, they use the 2G and 3G bands. This should be changing. Returning to the United Kingdom, at the end of 2018, 85% of mobile traffic already used exclusively 4G networks.
The shutdown of 2G and 3G in Spain
At the end of 2016, the plans of the Spanish and European telecommunications providers were to complete the shutdown of 3G in 2025 and 2G in 2030. First 3G because it can be replaced by 4G networks, both in mobile data and in calls, through the implementation of VoLTE or 4G calls, available in Spain since 2015.
However, 2G technology is more difficult to replace. Especially in devices that use M2M connections (machine to machine) through the GSM network, which we know as 2G. Unfortunately, it is very widespread in the industrial field, so its jump to later technologies such as 5G implies a considerable financial outlay.
In the first months of 2021, the plans remain the same. Movistar, for example, plans to replace its copper pair network with 100% fiber optics by 2025, the year in which it will also turn off its 3G network. Instead, Vodafone intends to shut down its 3G network in 2023 ahead of the competition. For the rest, Orange's plans are focused on abandoning 2G in 2025 but without a fixed date for 3G.
In practice, if we take a look at maps like the ones offered by nPerf, we will get an idea of the mobile network infrastructure of the main Spanish providers. 4G networks are the most widespread along with the increasingly frequent 5G. 3G networks remain in less populated areas. For its part, 2G is limited to very specific areas, which, as we saw before, correspond to industrial companies.
Credit: Andrea Piacquadio (Pexels)
And this how does it affect me?
Although there is room, 2025 is just around the corner. In that time, certain changes in habits must occur so that the shutdown of 2G and 3G does not affect us. First of all, if you use your smartphone to connect to the internet, the shutdown does not affect you, since for this task we use 4G and 5G networks.
A separate case are the voice calls. Although calling over the internet through applications such as WhatsApp is becoming more frequent, or making video calls, the voice call is still there. Especially since the majority of providers offer practically unlimited calls at a reasonable price. But as we saw before, the voice call usually uses the 3G network instead of the 4G. To do the latter, the telephone companies will have to activate by default the use of VoLTE or 4G calls.
The main affected by the shutdown of 3G are the simple telephones, those of small size or those with large keys for the elderly. These phones, which are only used for calls and SMS messages, have 2G and 3G before, so when the total shutdown occurs they will stop working. It is expected that these types of devices, which have a target audience, will adapt to 4G sooner rather than later.
Otherwise, the rest of the mobile devices for the general public that currently use mobile connectivity are compatible with 4G and/or 5G to a lesser extent. We are talking about bracelets, watches, wearables in general and other devices. Moreover, many of them offer connectivity such as Bluetooth or WiFi, so they should not be affected.
