This is not simply turning off old broadcasting stations. Behind that decision is a shift in telecommunications infrastructure, from a main platform serving listening, calling, and texting to a mobile broadband network, where people can study, work, pay, get medical examinations and use public services in a digital environment.
For many people, especially the generation that grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s, 2G phones were not just a communication device. It was the first time people could call each other while on the road, send a short message instead of a letter, inform their families from work far from home or connect between mountains, islands and cities.
2G waves once contributed to turning telecommunications services from an expensive utility into a popular demand. Mobile phones gradually appeared in every household, following workers to factories, construction sites, fields and fishing boats. Small phones with functions of listening, calling, and texting have shortened geographical distances, supported trade and changed the way people connect with each other.
Therefore, 2G ending its mission does not mean that the contributions of this technology become outdated. On the contrary, 2G has fulfilled its role as a pioneering platform, creating a premise for Vietnam to move towards more modern generations of mobile networks.
According to the roadmap, from September 16, 2024, network operators have stopped providing services to devices that only support 2G technology, except for some special cases. The GSM system will continue to be maintained until September 15, 2026 to support voice calls for some early 3G and 4G devices that do not have VoLTE features and serve the conversion process.
After this milestone, GSM broadcasting stations will cease operations, except for providing services in the Hoang Sa, Truong Sa archipelago and DK rig areas. Frequency resources, equipment and infrastructure previously reserved for 2G will be re-planned, used for 4G, 5G and next-generation network technologies.
Stopping old generation mobile networks to save resources for 4G and 5G development has become a trend in many countries, as the demand for mobile data is increasing and digital services become an essential part of life.
The day the last GSM stations cease operations will close a memorable chapter of Vietnam's telecommunications industry. But that is not a sad farewell. 2G left after completing its mission of connecting millions of people, popularizing mobile services and laying the first bricks for the digital society.
Closing the journey of 2G is also the time to expand the space for 4G, 5G and future technologies. A generation of networks fulfills its mission to continue to bring people closer together, not only by voice but by data, knowledge and development opportunities in the digital age.
