What is 2G? The second-generation mobile connection explained
2G is the second generation of mobile network technology, first launched in Finland in 1991. The main features of a 2G mobile connection were digital encryption of calls and messages, clearer voice quality and data services such as SMS. It followed analog 1G and was succeeded by 3G, 4G and 5G.
2G is on its way out. As of June 2026, the GSA counted 139 operators that have completed or planned a 2G shutdown, and 56 of them (about 40%) are already done.
Key takeaways:
- 2G first launched in Finland in 1991 and made mobile calls digital.
- It introduced SMS and, with GPRS and EDGE upgrades, basic mobile data.
- 2G is slow, with speeds in the tens to hundreds of kilobits per second, but it has long range and low power use.
- Operators are shutting 2G down country by country, and 3G is closing faster than 2G.
- SMS still works on every later generation, with no mobile data needed.
How does 2G work?
Analog 1G networks sent your voice over the air as a continuous wave. 2G converts it into digital data first. That lets the network compress calls, fit more of them into the same spectrum and encrypt them so they can’t be overheard as easily.
The most common 2G standard is GSM, which splits each radio channel into time slots so several calls can share one frequency. Another family, CDMA, was used in parts of North America and Asia. Both carry voice and short text messages in the same digital way.
What are the main features of 2G?
- Digital voice and encryption: calls and messages are digitized and encrypted, so they are harder to intercept than analog calls.
- SMS: the text message was one of the first data services on 2G, sent as mobile terminated (MT) and mobile originated (MO) messages.
- Wider reach: cheaper handsets and digital networks helped drive mobile phone penetration up around the world.
- Basic data: GPRS and EDGE upgrades, sometimes nicknamed 2.5G, added picture messages, email and simple web pages.
- SIM cards: GSM networks introduced the removable SIM card, which stores your identity and lets you swap phones.
How fast is 2G?
2G speeds are measured in kilobits per second, from tens of kilobits on basic GSM to a few hundred on EDGE. That is plenty for text, email and simple pages, and far too slow for video or modern apps. Those need 4G or 5G.
2G vs 3G, 4G and 5G
- 2G (1991): digital voice, encryption and SMS, plus basic data with GPRS and EDGE.
- 3G (2001): true mobile internet, with speeds in megabits per second.
- 4G (around 2010): mobile broadband for streaming and apps. The ITU’s IMT-Advanced sets a peak rate of 1 Gbps.
- 5G (2019): the ITU’s IMT-2020 sets a peak rate of 20 Gbps and latency as low as 1 ms.
Curious where it goes next? Our guide to the evolution from 5G to 6G picks up the story.
What is 2G still used for?
2G has long range, low power use and good coverage indoors, so it still keeps feature phones, alarms, meters, payment terminals, cars and industrial equipment connected in many places. That is also why 2G is lasting longer than 3G in some markets.
Is 2G being shut down?
Yes, operator by operator. Operators are reclaiming spectrum for 4G and 5G, which carry far more data in the same airwaves. By June 2026, the GSA counted 56 completed 2G shutdowns against 102 completed 3G shutdowns, so 3G is disappearing faster.
One recent example: T-Mobile switched off its remaining 2G network in the US on 3 August 2026. Dates vary by operator, not just by country, so always check your own.
What does the 2G shutdown mean for your business?
- Audit your devices. Find every device that relies on 2G or falls back to it when 4G is unavailable.
- Plan the move. Migrate connected devices to 4G, 5G, LTE-M or NB-IoT before your operator’s switch-off date.
- Choose channels that work everywhere. SMS reaches phones with no mobile data, while richer channels such as RCS and WhatsApp need a data connection.
2G, SMS and Infobip
SMS was one of the first data services introduced on 2G, and it is still the channel that reaches almost any phone. Infobip is a communications platform that combines SMS with richer channels such as RCS and WhatsApp, so businesses can reach customers on the best channel for their device and connection.
Conclusion
2G made mobile networks digital and gave the world SMS. Even as operators switch it off, its biggest legacy, the text message, keeps working on every network that followed.
If you still depend on 2G devices, start planning your move now. If you want to reach every customer, whatever their phone or signal, Infobip helps you do it with SMS, RCS, WhatsApp and APIs on one communications platform.
FAQs
2G is the second generation of mobile network technology, first launched in Finland in 1991. It was the first generation to carry calls and messages digitally, which brought encryption, clearer voice quality and SMS. Later upgrades called GPRS and EDGE added basic mobile data on top of the same networks.
2G was first launched in Finland in 1991, using the GSM standard. It followed analog 1G networks from the 1980s. 3G launched commercially in Japan in 2001, so 2G was the dominant mobile technology for roughly a decade, and it remains in use in some places today.
The main features of 2G are digital encryption of calls and messages, clearer voice quality, SMS text messaging and greater mobile phone penetration. GPRS and EDGE upgrades, sometimes called 2.5G, later added basic mobile data for picture messages, email and simple web pages.
2G data speeds are measured in kilobits per second, typically from tens to a few hundred kilobits, depending on whether the network uses GSM, GPRS or EDGE. That is enough for text, email and simple web pages, but far too slow for streaming video or modern apps, which need 4G or 5G.
2G made calls digital and added SMS and basic data. 3G, launched in 2001, brought true mobile internet, with data speeds in megabits per second instead of kilobits. That made web browsing, email and early video calls practical on a phone, while 2G was designed mainly for voice and text.
In some places, yes, but it is being retired operator by operator. T-Mobile switched off its remaining 2G network in the US on 3 August 2026. Where 2G remains, it mostly serves feature phones, alarms, meters and industrial devices, so check your own operator’s shutdown date.
Operators are switching off 2G to reclaim spectrum for 4G and 5G, which carry far more data in the same airwaves. By June 2026, the GSA counted 56 completed 2G shutdowns, with 139 operators having completed or planned one, so the switch-off continues country by country.
Yes. SMS was introduced in the 2G era, but it is also delivered over 3G, 4G and 5G networks without needing a mobile data connection. That is why SMS still reaches almost any phone, even as 2G networks are shut down.