Deutsche Telekom is expected to completely shut down its GSM network on June 30, 2028. The company announced this in Bonn on Tuesday. This is the first time that a German network operator has given a specific date for shutting down its GSM network (2G). Vodafone and Telefónica are taking longer.
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GSM networks are still used for basic cell phone, short messages, and interaction with the “Internet of Things” (IoT). The technology is outdated and is being discontinued in many countries. With modern smartphones, conversations can also be carried out using the younger and more efficient mobile communications standards 4G and 5G.
Frequency free for 4G and 5G
“With the 2G frequency spectrum now free, we can further improve our network,” says Abdu Mudesir, managing director of technology at Telekom Deutschland. “We will use the frequencies in our network for 4G and 5G to further improve mobile surfing in the future, especially in rural areas.”
WhatsApp changes contact management and saves locallyVodafone is taking longer to phase out GSM and plans to gradually turn off network capacities available for 2G in Germany, possibly by the end of 2030. Technology head Tanja Richter said, “At this point, the technology will be about 40 years old, and a large portion of the underlying devices will by then be obsolete and no longer supported by providers.”
However, Telefónica (O2) continues to operate 2G for the time being and has not yet announced a closure date. In the O2 network, GSM will initially remain the basis for telephony and SMS. If there are any changes, customers will be “notified in advance and in accordance with their contracts,” a Telefónica spokesperson said. The company doesn’t specify a date, but generally recommends “switching to future-proof devices with 4G and 5G.”
Change networked device
The GSM standard (Global System for Mobile Communications), developed in Europe, replaced analog mobile networks in the 1990s. UMTS (3G), which was introduced later, was discontinued in Germany in late 2021. With “Voice over LTE” (VoLTE) and “Voice over New Radio” (VoNR), calls can now be made in better quality than with 4G and 5G.
Other countries in Europe are also shutting down their GSM networks, but doing so at different speeds. Switzerland will phase out GSM in 2023, but will remain on UMTS until 2025. In France, Orange will phase out GSM in 2025 and UMTS in 2030. Sweden wants to say goodbye to 2G by 2026, Britain will do so in 2033. In Austria, 3G is being shut down while 2G continues to operate.
The GSM shutdown does not affect only owners of old ordinary cell phones that work only in GSM networks. These devices will not work in telecom networks from the summer of 2028; It is important to switch to a smartphone or simple LTE cell phone. Various IoT services have also been affected by the shutdown. These include networked electricity meters, elevators and alarm systems. Deutsche Telekom recommends that providers and users should be prepared to replace remaining old radio modules.
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