Swisscom has switched off its 2G mobile services after 28 years — but Greece’s Cosmote has gone one better and said it will switch off 3G by the end of 2021.
Both companies said the bandwidth freed up would be used by newer technologies.
Cosmote, part of OTE and ultimately controlled by Deutsche Telekom, said it will begin phasing out 3G networks from September, and said the switch-off will be complete by the end of the year.
The spectrum will be used for 4G, which is already covering 99% of the population, and 5G, which will have 50% coverage in population terms by the end of 2021.
Financial Times: EU fund gives “Greece 2.0” chance to reset economic model
However Cosmote will retain its 2G network for voice and text services
Swisscom (pictured), however, has no reservations about switching off its 2G network, launched in 1993.
Read more: Capacity Media