Overview
- O2 confirmed on Monday that it will switch off its 2G network in the second half of 2028, aligning its timetable with Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone to remove widespread 2G service by the end of 2028.
- Vodafone will phase out general 2G service in 2028 but will keep a limited slice of 2G for industrial customers until 2030 to give firms more time to move legacy IoT systems.
- Most modern smartphones that support LTE/4G or 5G and VoLTE will keep working after 2G ends, but very old feature phones and many basic 'senior' handsets that lack LTE will lose all mobile service.
- Many older in‑car eCall modules rely on 2G and could stop sending crash calls unless manufacturers supply updates to the NG eCall (LTE) standard that was introduced in 2026 and required for new vehicle approvals from 2027.
- Regulators say freeing 2G spectrum will boost low‑band capacity for 4G/5G but Bundesnetzagentur maps show 2G covers slightly more land area than 4G/5G, so some rural or remote spots may face coverage gaps and businesses should begin migration planning now.