Why will 2G survive 3G in South Africa?

Vodacom hopes Switch off your 3G mobile networks before your 2G networks, in a reverse order that reflects the extent to which the cheapest end of the device market is tied to legacy connectivity.

“The current customer trajectory shows that the demand for 3G device network support is less than the demand for 2G devices on our network,” Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy told TechCentral. “In addition, most 3G devices are able to fall back on 2G networks. If this trend continues, it is more likely that 3G networks will be the first to die out.”

2G mobile technology was first introduced commercially in 1991, when Finland's Radiolinja launched the world's first GSM network. It was a watershed moment, marking the shift from analog (1G) to digital cellular communications, bringing with it SMS, encrypted calls, and basic data services.

3G arrived nearly a decade later, with Japan's NTT DoCoMo launching the first commercial wideband CDMA-based 3G network in October 2001, enabling high-speed mobile Internet access that made services such as video calling and mobile Web browsing viable for the first time. South African mobile operators launched 2G GSM networks in 1994 and 3G since 2004.

The hint from Vodacom about its 3G shutdown plans comes almost a year after Communications Minister Solly Malatsi finished off Regulatory deadline to shut down 2G and 3G, handing back time to operators. None of them can shut down legacy networks while millions of customers and machine-to-machine devices still depend on them – and Vodacom said it could not predict how long 2G in particular would remain in service.

binding barrier

The binding constraint is the cost of 4G handsets. A recent reports The study, commissioned by the Development Bank of Southern Africa, found that a “decently capable” 4G smartphone costs more than 16% of South Africa's basic minimum wage – the equivalent of about R800 at the current minimum-wage level.

At the launch of the report, Peter Groots of consultancy Networks Anonymous said that when consumers have to choose between a basic need like electricity and a more expensive appliance, the former wins.

Reading: Operators to set deadline for 2G/3G shutdown`

Both the government and industry have moved forward on price. Following a lobby led by Malatsi, in February 2025 the National Treasury removed the ad valorem (luxury) duty on smartphones priced at R2 500 or less. Olebogeng Ramatlhodi, indirect tax leader at Deloitte South Africa, said this useful first steps At the time, however, arguments were made for removal of VAT on the same class of equipment and subsidies for eligible buyers.

Vodacom launched a low-cost 4G smartphone in September 2024 priced at R249. MTN launched the program with R99 subsidized equipment for 1.2 million customers in May 2025 – a program then MTN South Africa CEO Charles Molapisi told TechCentral This was directly related to migrating customers from the legacy network so that the operator could simplify its network topology.

The handset isn't the only hurdle. Although none of the operators asked provided exact numbers, they confirmed a long range of tracking and telemetry devices rely on 2G – from wildlife collars to vehicle trackers and factory sensors.

“2G still supports essential services like basic voice and SMS and some legacy machine-to-machine operations at a very affordable device price,” Cell C said. “These devices are often deployed in remote or inaccessible locations and designed to remain in service for extended periods. As a result, migrations need to be managed carefully and on a customer-by-customer basis.”

MTN South Africa said 2G chipsets are widely used due to their affordability, low power consumption and low data requirements, but demand in the IoT market is moving towards LTE-based technologies. The operator has deployed a narrowband-IoT coverage layer on its 4G network. Vodacom offers similar NB-IoT support.

As the number of devices on legacy networks declines, operators will re-farm spectrum for 4G and 5G – and save power and network management costs in the process. Vodacom said its future network profile is competition-sensitive, but expects 5G terminals to surpass 4G over time. Cell C said it was too early to predict its long-term network size.

Reading: Telecom will leave 3G network after ending 2G

“MTN operates a multi-generation network to meet the coverage and needs of customers today,” MTN South Africa said. “Over the next five to 10 years, networks will become increasingly data-centric, based on 4G and 5G. As usage declines and customers migrate, legacy networks are expected to be phased out.” – © 2026 NewsCentral Media