A lot of those old phones you have sitting in a drawer that you refuse to throw away are about to stop working—the UAE’s 2G networks are on their way out.
According to a tweet from the Telecommunications And Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) in UAE, all the second-gen GSM networks will be shut off completely in December 2022.
The networks will start shutting off starting June 2022.
2G (GSM) had been active in the UAE starting back in 1994, and has remained active and fully functional even as the country make’s the world’s biggest push towards 5G.
The UAE is legitimately a world leader in 5G, which you can read more about here.
The decision was made as the Authority wants to focus on the deployment of 5G in the UAE as the main engine for digital transformation, the fourth industrial evolution and the continued push towards AI, according to a statement.
UAE telecoms giant Etisalatis shutting down its 2G network services with an estimated end date at the end of next year. This is done as well because the new networks are frankly more functional.
“We want you to connect faster than ever, which is why we will gradually start shutting down our current 2G mobile network services. We’ll begin the shutdown in phases with the full plan to be completed by the end of 2022,” a statement posted on Etisalat’s website said.
“Whatever your budget is, we have a 3G, 4G or 5G compatible device just for you. We also have a wide range of the latest mobile devices at competitive prices, with entry-level devices starting at Dh126,” said the UAE’s largest telecom operator.
Esquire now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Esquire Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @esquiremiddleeast Instagram and Twitter account.
