The Sun Also Rises — And Sets

Last Updated on 2025-10-27

Introduction

Networks age. Once-revolutionary, 2G and 3G are now relics, clinging to spectrum that is urgently needed for 4G and 5G. For consumers, the shift is barely visible. But for industrial IoT—energy, water, safety, and smart grids—the sunset is seismic. Millions of connected devices risk disconnection. Utilities face hard choices: rip out infrastructure or migrate smartly. The good news? Migration can be elegant, cost-efficient, and even an upgrade in disguise.

1. Timeline: Europe Throws Off the Cloak of 2G/3G

France

• Orange begins shutting down 2G from December 31, 2025, starting with southwestern departments (Ariège, Haute-Garonne, etc.), moving nationwide by September 2026.
• SFR and Bouygues plan their 2G shutdowns by 2026, with 3G following around 2028–2029.
• Free Mobile, thanks to roaming on Orange, can maintain 2G/3G for its customers until end-2028.

Germany

• Deutsche Telekom retires 2G by June 30, 2028, refarming precious 900 MHz spectrum for LTE/5G.
• Vodafone follows by 2030; O2 is slower to commit.

Why now?

Legacy networks consume power and block spectrum. Operators prefer to invest in LTE-M, NB-IoT, and 5G RedCap. Governments highlight energy savings and sustainability, while industry frets over upgrade costs. France alone counts nearly 8 million connected devices still on 2G — from elevators to alarms—many of them critical safety systems.

2. Beyond Europe: Sunset Timelines in South America and Asia

While Europe’s phase-out dates are clear, the story outside Europe is more fragmented. Utilities operating globally must be alert: a device installed today may already be running on borrowed time.

South America

• Brazil: Operators have not set a nationwide switch-off date yet. Claro and TIM have hinted at sunsetting 2G around 2028–2030, while 3G is being decommissioned sooner in several states.
• Argentina: 3G networks are gradually being retired, particularly in Buenos Aires and large cities, as spectrum is re-farmed for 4G. 2G remains in place for basic services, but regulators expect closure by the end of the decade.
• Chile & Colombia: Operators are fast-tracking 3G shutdowns (2025–2026) while keeping 2G longer for M2M services. NB-IoT rollouts are positioned as the successor for utilities.

Asia

• India: 3G has already been phased out nationwide by major operators like Airtel and Vodafone Idea. 2G remains widely available, serving hundreds of millions of low-end phones and M2M devices, but shutdown is expected by 2027–2028.
• China: China Mobile ended 3G services, and 2G is in steep decline, though still present for rural voice and some IoT. NB-IoT is heavily promoted as the replacement.
• Japan & South Korea: Both markets moved early. Japan shut down 3G by 2022 and is now decommissioning 2G (legacy PDC/PHS services). South Korea ended both 2G and 3G years ago, making LTE and 5G the baseline.
• Southeast Asia: Timelines vary. In Singapore and Thailand, 3G sunset is happening by 2025, with 2G already gone. Indonesia and Vietnam still maintain 2G/3G for M2M but are under regulatory pressure to free spectrum by 2028.

The takeaway: outside Europe, utilities can’t rely on long grace periods. Some Asian markets are already LTE-only, while Latin America is dragging its feet but phasing out 3G aggressively. For companies deploying smart meters or load control devices globally, the safe choice is to design with LTE Cat-1bis, Cat-4, LTE-M, or NB-IoT from the outset.

3. Retrofit First: Why Replacing Modems Beats Replacing Meters

WM Systems occupies a unique position: we are the global leader in retrofit modems for energy meters.

For over 20 years, we’ve manufactured communication modules for the world’s largest meter brands—Itron, Landis+Gyr, Elster/Honeywell, EMH, and many others. Our catalog means that for almost any deployed smart meter, we can supply a drop-in modem.

For utilities, this is a revolution in cost and sustainability:

• Protect investments: Smart meters often last 15–20 years. With retrofit modems, there’s no need to discard functioning assets.
• Accelerate migration: A modem swap takes minutes, compared with hours for meter replacement.
• Reduce waste: Avoid landfill by keeping meters in service.
• Future-proof: Choose the right radio—Cat-1bis, Cat-4, NB-IoT, LTE-M, or 450 MHz—based on regional rollout.

This capability transforms the 2G/3G sunset from a budget crisis into a planned modular upgrade. Utilities don’t need to replace their entire meter population—only the outdated modem inside.

4. A Note on Obsolescence and Progress

There’s a poetic irony here. 2G, once the very definition of mobility, is now the weakest link in our infrastructure. Yet obsolescence is not failure—it is continuity. Retiring 2G/3G frees spectrum for smarter, cleaner networks. The challenge is to make the transition graceful, not chaotic.

Conclusion

The 2G/3G sunset is a global movement, unfolding on different timelines in Europe, South America, and Asia. Utilities that act early can avoid panic and transform migration into a modular upgrade cycle.

With WM Systems’ retrofit modems — developed for leading meter brands like Itron, Landis+Gyr, Elster/Honeywell, EMH—utilities can upgrade modems instead of replacing entire meters, protecting investments and reducing waste.

Whether the shutdown hits in France by 2026, Germany by 2028, India by 2027, or Chile by 2025, the strategy is the same: plan smartly, retrofit intelligently, and move into the LTE/5G era with confidence.