China Mobile: 2G and 3G shutdown dates
Updated
China Mobile has announced no date to switch off 2G and switched off 3G, according to the sources we checked on 26 October 2026. The table gives each source and how far we trust it; the rest of the page says what this means for IoT devices in China.
2G and 3G status at China Mobile
| Network | Status | Date | Confidence | Sources and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2G | No plan announced | none | medium | 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. |
| 3G | Switched off | none | low | 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. |
Confidence is high when the operator or the regulator states the date, medium when several independent sources agree, low otherwise. We recheck every month.
What it means for IoT devices on China Mobile
- 2G keeps running for now. China Mobile has announced no closing date, so 2G fallback still helps devices that roam in China, but new designs should not depend on it.
- 3G fallback no longer works on China Mobile. Devices built for 3G (UMTS) or that fall back to it lose service; 4G devices with 2G fallback are not affected by this closure.
- For new devices, choose 4G-based technologies: LTE Cat-1 bis, LTE-M or NB-IoT where the network offers them.
- Foreign SIMs in China: permanent roaming of foreign IoT SIMs is not allowed. Details on the China page.
An M2M.global IoT SIM is not tied to a single network in a country, and its data can reach your cloud without the internet through private delivery.
Other operators in China
| Operator | 2G | 3G |
|---|---|---|
| China Telecom | Switched off | Planned, 2024 |
| China Unicom | Switched off, 2024 | Planned, 30 June 2026 |
All operators and both rules for China: IoT connectivity in China. Every country: 2G and 3G shutdown dates by country and operator.
Frequently asked questions
When does China Mobile switch off 2G in China?
China Mobile has announced no date to switch off 2G, as of 26 October 2026. 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.
When did China Mobile switch off 3G in China?
China Mobile switched off its 3G network. 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.