Vodafone has announced that it is to phase out 2G in the UK by 2030. Given the widespread adoption of 4G and 5G technologies and the increasing reliance on smartphones for essential functions such as banking, navigation, messaging, and social media, 2G is no longer the most suitable technology for these applications. Vodafone is adopting a gradual approach to shutting down 2G over the next five years with the goal of minimising disruption while improving the customer experience and underpinning digital economies across Europe.

With 2G, the basis for the current eCall generation will also disappear. eCall technology has been providing faster assistance since 2018 and from January 2026 the latest generation of emergency call systems will be mandatory in Europe for all new vehicle models to obtain approval. eCall’s successor, “Next-Generation Emergency Call” (NG eCall), is scheduled to launch in January 2026. Vodafone is now activating the new emergency call technology at its first mobile stations for testing by the automotive industry.

Unlike the previous system, NG eCall will no longer send emergency calls via the almost 40-year-old 2G (GSM) mobile technology, says Vodafone. The mobile provider plans to switch this off for industry and private consumers from September 2028. Instead, the voice connection will be established via the IP-based 4G (LTE) network.

(Pic: VESOS)