IoT connectivity in China
Updated
In China, permanent roaming of foreign IoT SIMs is not allowed. Of the 3 mobile operators we track there, 2 have switched off 2G and 1 3G, as of 26 October 2026. Sources are listed below each table.
Permanent roaming
Not allowed. Regulatory analysts and vendors report that permanent roaming for IoT is prohibited in China and that compliant service requires working with a licensed Chinese operator; no MIIT text stating the rule was found.
Sources: help.wirelesslogic.com, cullen-international.com, iot-now.com. Confidence: medium.
2G and 3G shutdowns by operator
| Operator | Network | Status | Date | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China Mobile | 2G | No plan announced | none | lightreading.com, ithome.com GSM kept while TD-SCDMA is retired (Light Reading 2022). China Mobile stopped adding new 2G users by end-2020 and moves them to NB-IoT/LTE Cat1, but no 2G end date found. MIIT's 14th Five-Year plan calls for faster 2G/3G exit. |
| China Mobile | 3G | Switched off | none | caixinglobal.com, korewireless.com TD-SCDMA, phased out region by region from 2016 with completion expected by 2020 (Caixin). Kore (May 2026) marks the shutdown finished and emnify lists China Mobile 3G as no service; no completion date published. Light Reading (2022) still described it as in progress. |
| China Telecom | 2G | Switched off | none | emnify.com, miit.gov.cn CDMA 1x. MIIT approved in Aug 2023 the refarming to 5G of the 800 MHz band used for 2G/3G/4G. emnify (Sep 2026) shows China Telecom 2G as no service. No completion date published; earlier press targeted end-2024. |
| China Telecom | 3G | Planned | 2024 | ithome.com, montnets.com CDMA2000 EV-DO. Provincial phase-out began in Yunnan from 1 Jun 2020; full 2G/3G exit targeted end-2024 (or end-2023 per some reports; ~2025 per Light Reading 2022). Date passed without confirmation found. No completion confirmation found in 2025-2026 sources. |
| China Unicom | 2G | Switched off | 2024 | korewireless.com, emnify.com GSM. Unicom planned a full 2G exit by end-2021, a target Light Reading (2022) said was missed. Kore (May 2026) marks the shutdown finished; emnify lists 31 Dec 2024. No Unicom or MIIT confirmation found. |
| China Unicom | 3G | Planned | 30 June 2026 | korewireless.com, emnify.com WCDMA, reduced to one carrier by end-2020 with VoLTE replacing 3G voice (C114, 2020). Kore and emnify both list 30 Jun 2026. Date has passed; no confirmation found. |
What it means for IoT devices in China
- 2G still runs on some networks, but plan new devices on 4G-based technologies (LTE Cat-1bis, LTE-M or NB-IoT where available): 2G is being closed across the region.
- 3G is already gone on 1 network: devices that fall back to 3G will lose service there.
- Plan a local profile: foreign SIMs cannot stay indefinitely. An eSIM able to download a local profile, or a local SIM, avoids being cut off.
- Private delivery works the same from China: device data reaches your cloud over private links. See private delivery.
Other countries in Asia-Pacific
Full tables: permanent roaming rules by country and 2G and 3G shutdown dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is permanent roaming allowed for IoT SIMs in China?
Regulatory analysts and vendors report that permanent roaming for IoT is prohibited in China and that compliant service requires working with a licensed Chinese operator; no MIIT text stating the rule was found.
When is 2G switched off in China?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. China Mobile: no shutdown plan announced; China Telecom: switched off; China Unicom: switched off (2024).
When is 3G switched off in China?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. China Mobile: switched off; China Telecom: planned for 2024; China Unicom: planned for 2026-06-30.