2G Shutdown 2028: Check Old Phones and Emergency Devices

On its topic page about the 2G shutdown, the Federal Network Agency writes that the network operators Telekom, Vodafone and Telefónica have announced that they expect to switch off their 2G networks in 2028 (Bundesnetzagentur). The dates are a few months apart. Telekom is aiming for June 30, 2028, while Vodafone plans the shutdown for September 2028 (Bundesnetzagentur). Telefónica, which runs the O2 network, has announced the shutdown for the end of 2028 (Bundesnetzagentur) and names the second half of 2028 in its own announcement (Telefónica Deutschland).

If you use a smaller brand or a discount provider, you are technically on one of these networks. For customers of 1&1, which does not run its own 2G network and uses Vodafone’s 2G network through national roaming, the Vodafone date applies for now, according to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur). Which network is behind your contract is usually stated in your contract documents or on the provider’s website. Two caveats belong to the full picture: Vodafone keeps its 2G network open until the end of 2030 for especially critical IoT applications (Vodafone). The announcement does not list which applications qualify; for private and business customers Vodafone switches off its 2G services in September 2028 (Vodafone). And the dates themselves are announcements by the network operators; the Federal Network Agency also says “expected”.

That does not change the direction, because the predecessor is already gone: the 3G networks in Germany were switched off back in 2021 (Bundesnetzagentur). The reason is room in the radio spectrum. The Federal Network Agency considers it necessary to switch off old technologies such as 2G at the end of their life cycle so that the limited frequencies can be used for broadband mobile service. The successors are well established: more than 97 percent of Germany’s land area is covered by 4G and more than 93 percent by 5G (Bundesnetzagentur). With 2G, however, all network operators reach more than 99 percent of the area (Bundesnetzagentur). The remaining gaps are to be closed wherever possible before the shutdown; the Federal Network Agency says it is pressing the operators to do so.

For phones with a network indicator, a look at the top edge of the screen is enough in most cases. If it shows “5G”, “4G” or “LTE”, customers generally do not need to worry about anything else, according to Telekom (Telekom); Vodafone also sees no need for action in this case (Vodafone). Conversely, Stiftung Warentest, Germany’s consumer testing foundation, says: if the display regularly shows only “G”, “GSM”, “2G” or “E” and at no time “4G”, “LTE” or “5G”, the device probably cannot establish 4G or 5G connections and will stop working after the 2G shutdown (Stiftung Warentest).

The indicator at rest only tells you about data, though. Even if the display shows “4G”, that does not yet mean the device can make calls over the 4G network, because voice calls over 4G were introduced later than 4G technology itself (Stiftung Warentest). That is why a second look during a call is worthwhile: if the indicator switches to “2G”, “GSM”, “E” or “Edge” while you are on the phone, the device may only be calling over 2G even though it supports 4G, and a changeover or an adjustment of the settings is needed (Verbraucherzentrale). Telefónica recommends exactly these two steps in its checklist for consumers: check the device and check the settings (Telefónica Deutschland).

With emergency devices the situation is less clear, because many of them have no network indicator. A classic home emergency system consists of a base station and a radio transmitter worn on the wrist or as a pendant, as described in the article on home emergency alarms and the care insurance subsidy. As a rule, the transmitter only talks to the base station. Only the base station itself uses the mobile network, and only if it is connected by SIM card rather than the phone line. Mobile alarm buttons for on the go and emergency watches, on the other hand, carry the mobile module directly on the body.

The Federal Network Agency does not mention home emergency devices explicitly, but it does list emergency radio modules as an example of devices that are affected unless they are 4G or 5G capable (Bundesnetzagentur). Whether your device is one of them depends solely on the radio module built in, and the provider knows which one that is. For questions about an individual device, the Federal Network Agency refers to the manufacturer or the mobile network operator (Bundesnetzagentur). So ask in writing and keep the answer together with the device name. A written answer also helps relatives who take care of the replacement later.

For emergency watches and smartwatches with an SOS function, a look at the data sheet pays off. 13 percent of people over 65 used a smartwatch in 2023 (Bitkom 2023), and according to Bitkom many models now offer accident detection with an SOS function. Watches that make calls through the paired smartphone depend on that phone’s network standard. Watches with their own SIM or eSIM need LTE and VoLTE themselves. Which contacts a watch calls in an emergency and how fall detection is set up is explained in the article on the emergency watch with fall detection. After every changeover, a test alarm is part of the job; agree with the response center or the contact beforehand that it is only a test.

The easiest way is a list on paper, just like in the image above: one line per device, three columns for “2G”, “4G/5G” and “check”. Walk once through your home, basement, garage and car. You are looking for every device that has a SIM card inside or, according to its type plate, a mobile connection. This includes devices belonging to relatives that are kept at your place, such as your mother’s spare phone or the alarm button a care service set up. For each device, note the model name, the provider and the date of your inquiry.

A rough schedule is enough. This fall and winter, the list gets made. Over the course of 2027, replacement devices are bought, set up and practiced with relatives, and the providers’ answers are in. Before the first announced shutdown date in the summer of 2028 (Bundesnetzagentur), everything has then been replaced and tested once. If you buy a device with mobile connectivity in the meantime, pay attention to 4G and VoLTE from now on. Stiftung Warentest advises the same: anyone buying used phones or other devices with mobile reception should make sure they no longer depend on the old 2G network (Stiftung Warentest).

We come to your home in the Hildesheim area and the Leine valley and go through the list together with you. We check the network indicator and VoLTE on your phones, turn the function on where it is merely deactivated and make a test call. For the alarm button, emergency watch or alarm system, we read the type plate and data sheet, note the model and radio module and help you write the inquiry to the provider or installer. Replacing a built-in radio module is done by the provider or installer; we make sure you know what to ask and what the answer means.

If a phone needs to be replaced, we set up the new device, transfer contacts and photos and practice the most important steps until they stick, also in a smartphone course at home if you like. If your parents live further away, the inventory can be planned together with relatives, as described in the article on helping parents with tech from a distance. What else we set up is shown in the overview of our services, everything about our tech help for seniors is on its own page, and you can request an appointment via the contact form.