e&, United Arab Emirates: 2G and 3G shutdown dates
Updated
e& plans to switch off 2G on 31 December 2023 and has no 3G shutdown date we could confirm, 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 the United Arab Emirates.
2G and 3G status at e&
| Network | Status | Date | Confidence | Sources and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2G | Planned | 31 December 2023 | low | cullen-international.com, emnify.com Formerly Etisalat. TDRA first set end-2022 for the national 2G switch-off, later end-2023 (Cullen, Jul 2023; emnify lists 31 Dec 2023). Date has passed without confirmation of completion found; LINK Mobility (Aug 2026) only says UAE 2G retirement is advanced. |
| 3G | Unclear | none | low | linkmobility.com LINK Mobility (Aug 2026) says UAE 3G retirement is advanced and availability should be confirmed with the operator. No e& or TDRA 3G date found. |
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 e&
- 2G devices keep working until the shutdown (31 December 2023). Replace 2G-only devices before that date; once the network closes, they lose service on e&.
- 3G status unclear. Check on site before relying on e&'s 3G network.
- For new devices, choose 4G-based technologies: LTE Cat-1 bis, LTE-M or NB-IoT where the network offers them.
- Foreign SIMs in the United Arab Emirates: we have not yet found a reliable source on permanent roaming. Details on the United Arab Emirates 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 the United Arab Emirates
| Operator | 2G | 3G |
|---|---|---|
| du | Planned, 31 December 2023 | Unclear |
All operators and both rules for the United Arab Emirates: IoT connectivity in the United Arab Emirates. Every country: 2G and 3G shutdown dates by country and operator.
Frequently asked questions
When does e& switch off 2G in the United Arab Emirates?
e& plans to switch off 2G on 31 December 2023. Formerly Etisalat. TDRA first set end-2022 for the national 2G switch-off, later end-2023 (Cullen, Jul 2023; emnify lists 31 Dec 2023). Date has passed without confirmation of completion found; LINK Mobility (Aug 2026) only says UAE 2G retirement is advanced.