2G/3G Sunset: A Practical Migration Roadmap for 2026
T-Mobile lists August 3, 2026 as the retirement date for its 2G GSM network. A migration plan should use the announcement for the specific operator and service, then confirm the impact on the deployed devices. See T-Mobile network retirement dates.
Start with the installed fleet: module part number, SIM provider, country, operator, installation address and the services each device uses. A data logger and a voice alarm can need different migration work even when both use 2G.
Map each device group to the operator notice for its location. Include roaming arrangements and any dependence on voice or SMS. This gives you the deadline and the service requirements for that group before you compare replacement modules.
Build the shortlist from those requirements, then compare LTE Cat-1 bis, Cat-1, Cat-4, LTE-M, NB-IoT or 5G as appropriate. Shipment share alone does not determine whether the technology fits a specific migration.
This guide connects operator dates with module selection, board integration and field replacement planning. Use the table to find the relevant notice, then work through the checklist for the deployed fleet.
Operator-specific retirement examples
Calendar review: October 15, 2026. The table keeps operator schedules, regulator approvals and completed closures separate. Match the notice to the network and service used at each installation.
| Network or market | Verified statement | Scope and source |
|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile, United States | 2G GSM retirement date: August 3, 2026. | Operator-announced date; T-Mobile. |
| United Kingdom | 2G ends by 2033 at the latest; earlier operator schedules apply. | Ofcom reports earlier operator plans: EE from May 2029, O2 from summer 2029 and Vodafone during 2030. |
| Orange, mainland France | Orange’s calendar lists September 22 and October 6, with the next wave scheduled for October 20, 2026. | Orange confirms earlier southwest closures. Regulatory white zones have a later access end date of December 1-15, 2026. Orange calendar. |
| SFR and Bouygues Telecom, mainland France | Arcep lists SFR on November 15, 2026; Bouygues starts in selected cities on November 15, then expands December 1-15, 2026. | Planned dates; recheck the installation address and operator notice. Arcep calendar. |
| NTT DOCOMO, Japan | FOMA 3G service ended March 31, 2026. | DOCOMO completion notice; this row concerns FOMA. |
| China Mobile Hong Kong | Approved 2G cessation date: June 23, 2026. | Hong Kong government approval issued December 16, 2025. |
For other networks and markets, obtain the current operator schedule before planning a migration. Review voice and emergency-call requirements separately from data connectivity, and do not infer that a country-wide date applies to every provider or roaming arrangement.
When Cat-1 bis may fit a migration
Evaluate LTE Cat-1 bis alongside the alternatives for your fleet. Confirm the destination networks, supported bands, voice requirements, power budget and exact module configuration before choosing a replacement. The choice remains specific to the deployment. Our Cat-1 bis vs RedCap comparison covers the long-term view; the selection still requires a review of the existing hardware, firmware, antenna system and network requirements.
Three requirements to review before choosing Cat-1 bis:
- Voice matters. For a voice product moving to LTE, check VoLTE support in the selected module and firmware, the operator’s IMS requirements, and call behaviour on the target network. Evaluate antenna performance on the actual installation.
- The device needs real throughput. Video, large firmware pushes, or a gateway role push you toward Cat-4 or 5G, not Cat-1 bis.
- The device is battery-critical. Compare NB-IoT or LTE-M with the required coverage, reporting interval and downlink timing. Our LPWAN guide sets out the selection questions.
The costs nobody budgets for
The module swap is the visible cost. These are the ones that show up later.
Ask the compliance team which tests and filings the new module, antennas and firmware trigger for the finished device and destination markets. Budget that work before fixing the replacement part number.
Compare the existing antenna’s supported bands, matching network and enclosure layout with the replacement module’s hardware guide. Measure the installed antenna on the target bands before deciding which parts of the RF design to change.
Check the voice path separately from data. Record the operator’s available voice services, the selected firmware’s VoLTE support and IMS settings, then make test calls in the target deployment.
Field units without OTA update capability must be swapped by hand. Every unit is logistics plus labor, and the older the fleet, the harder the math.
Measure a full reporting cycle with the intended firmware and SIM. Record registration, upload, receive windows and sleep, then confirm which power-saving modes the network accepts. The PSM and eDRX guide explains the trade-off between sleep time and downlink availability.
Request the lifecycle status and any EOL notice for the current and proposed parts. Include firmware support, replacement stock and field spares in the quotation. Use the full ordering code to distinguish original parts from other offered configurations.
One more layer for multi-country fleets: eSIM and SGP.32 let you switch operators over the air instead of swapping cards in the field, which matters when a migration touches a decade of deployed hardware. Our eSIM and SGP.32 guide walks through what to check on the module itself.
Checklist before you redesign
- Pull the real dates. GSA, Onomondo and KORE all publish operator-level 2G/3G shutdown trackers. Do not rely on a country-level summary for a product that ships to five markets.
- List the LTE bands per market and check them against the module’s region variants. This kills the antenna surprise early.
- Decide the voice path. VoLTE module, operator IMS parameters, and a test call on the target network.
- Confirm low-power modes in the shipped firmware, not the datasheet.
- Scope certification per region, including carrier lab entries.
- Check supply. Original modules, EOL notices, and how many spares you need for the installed base.
- Plan the field. OTA-capable devices update; everything else needs a swap schedule and a budget.
The short version
Build the migration schedule around the operator notices for your deployed locations. Confirm the module variant, firmware, antennas, power budget and voice requirements, then allow time for testing and any required approvals. A distant national deadline is not a commitment that a specific network will remain available until then.
Send the current module part number, country and operator list, voice and SMS requirements, host interface, reporting cycle and quantity. Include the board and antenna information for a replacement review, so candidate modules can be compared against the deployed design.
Browse all module datasheets in our Datasheet Center.
Related module datasheet
SIMCom A7672E (LTE Cat-1 upgrade): Product · Datasheet PDF