What has actually happened so far
3G is mostly gone. Airtel no longer runs a 3G network. Vi has been switching 3G off circle by circle and said it aimed to finish the job in FY25. BSNL, the last large 3G operator, has announced it is phasing out 3G nationwide to use that spectrum for 4G. Jio never ran 2G or 3G at all.
2G is still running. Airtel, Vi and BSNL all still operate 2G, largely because millions of basic phones depend on it. As of today, no operator has announced a nationwide date to switch 2G off.
| Operator | 2G | 3G | 4G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airtel | Running. No shutdown date announced. | Switched off | Running |
| Vi | Running. No shutdown date announced. | Switched off circle by circle | Running |
| BSNL | Running. No shutdown date announced. | Being phased out | Expanding |
| Jio | Never had 2G | Never had 3G | Running |
Confirmed
3G is largely switched off across India.
Jio has no 2G or 3G network.
The government has left the 2G decision to the operators.
At least one state department already asks for 4G devices.
Not confirmed
Any nationwide date for switching 2G off.
That your devices will stop working on any specific date.
Which circles, if any, will lose 2G first.
Don't wait for a government deadline
Many fleet owners assume there will be an official announcement with a date, and that they can act then. That announcement may never come. In 2024, the Department of Telecommunications said it would not step in on shutting down 2G and left the decision to the telecom operators as a commercial call.
If 3G is any guide, 2G will not end on one national date. 3G was switched off one operator and one circle at a time, over several years. For a fleet that runs across states, that means some vehicles could be affected while others are not, with no single headline to warn you.
Why this still matters if nothing is switching off tomorrow
Devices stay on vehicles for years.
A device you fit today will likely still be on that vehicle years from now. Buying a 2G-only device today is a bet that 2G lasts as long as the device does.
Rules can change before networks do.
In Uttar Pradesh, the mining department already requires vehicles carrying sand, gravel and moram to have a tracking device that supports 4G and is linked to its portal. A rule like this can make a device that is still working unacceptable on the day the rule applies. No network has to shut down for that to happen.
Your backup network may not be a backup.
Most compliant tracking devices use an embedded SIM that carries more than one operator, so the device can switch if one network is weak. If one of those operators is Jio, a 2G-only device cannot use it at all, because Jio has no 2G network. On paper you have two networks. In practice you have one.
A five-minute check for the devices you already have
You do not need a technician for this. Your invoices, the device spec sheet and one message to your current vendor will cover most of it.
1. Find the network type.
Check the spec sheet or invoice. You are looking for "2G" or "GSM/GPRS" only, or "4G LTE" with 2G fallback. If it is not clear, ask your vendor in writing.
2. Ask which operators are on the SIM.
Both the main one and the backup.
3. Note when the SIM renewal is due.
This is a natural point to make a decision, because you are paying for something anyway.
4. Check what your work requires.
Look at your state transport department, and any department or contract you work under (mining, school transport, government tenders), for any mention of 4G.
5. Count.
How many vehicles have 2G-only devices, and in which states? That number is your actual exposure.
What to do with what you find
Fine: your device supports 4G
Nothing to do now. A 4G device that can also fall back to 2G handles both today's networks and whatever comes next.
Watch: 2G-only, but nothing requires 4G yet
It works today, so do not rip it out. Replace it at natural points: when the device fails, at SIM renewal, or when a vehicle changes hands. Buy 4G for every new vehicle from now on.
Act now: a rule asks for 4G, the device is 3G-only, or Jio is on its SIM
Make a replacement schedule for these vehicles first. These are the ones that can fail a check, or lose their only working network, without warning.
One thing not to do
Don't replace a working fleet in one go because someone told you 2G ends next month. Ask them for the source. If they cannot show you an operator announcement covering the circles you run in, it is a sales line, not a deadline. Replacing in phases, at points where you are already spending money, spreads the cost, causes less disruption and gives you time to test the new devices on a few vehicles first.
Where we stand
We make 4G devices. If you have done the check above and your vehicles fall in the watch or act-now group, or you are simply not sure what is fitted on your fleet, reach out to us and we will help you work it out. If your devices turn out to be fine, we will tell you that too.