What should I do about the 2G and 3G switch-off?
Three steps: know what you have, know your deadlines, and act on your highest-risk devices first.
Start by auditing your installed base. Every device still running on a 2G- or 3G-only module is at risk. Prioritise devices that are safety-critical, revenue-critical or difficult to access physically, as they carry the highest risk of costly downtime and expensive field replacements. Check the confirmed shutdown schedule for each country you operate in and build your migration timeline by working backwards from the earliest relevant deadline in your markets.
For 2G- or 3G-only hardware, allow 12 to 24 months or more for procurement, testing and field deployment at scale. The planning window is narrowing in several key markets.
Migration Decision Framework
| Step 1 | Audit your fleet — identify all devices using 2G / 3G (GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSPA modules) |
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| Step 2 | Map each device against confirmed shutdown dates in its country of deployment |
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| Step 3 | Classify by risk: safety-critical / revenue-critical / low-impact |
↓ Does the device hardware support 4G, LTE-M or NB-IoT?
| ✓ YES — Remote migration path • Update connectivity profile over the air (OTA) • No SIM swap, no field visit, no hardware change • melita.io eSIM (SGP.22) handles profile provisioning remotely • Estimated timeline: days to weeks at fleet scale | ✗ NO — Hardware replacement path • Source LTE-M / NB-IoT / 4G compatible module or device • Allow 12–24+ months for procurement, testing and field deployment • Prioritise highest-risk and hardest-to-reach devices first • Engage melita.io’s device manufacturer partners for assessment |