Orange is ending its 2G network in Nice this Tuesday, September 22. Old phones and several connected devices may be affected by this shutdown, which will extend to all of Alpes-Maritimes on October 6.
Residents of Nice are directly affected by the shutdown of Orange‘s 2G network. This Tuesday, September 22, the operator is definitively ending this technology in the municipality. A first step before a shutdown across all of Alpes-Maritimes scheduled for October 6.
The end of 2G does not only concern old mobile phones. Some devices used daily still operate with this technology. Among them are notably teleassistance devices, alarm systems, and some older connected equipment.
The main difficulty is that the failure can remain invisible. A connected device can function without emitting a signal for several days or weeks. A failure can therefore only be discovered when an alert needs to be transmitted.
Old phones, alarms, elevators: which devices are affected?
Old mobile phones limited to 2G are directly affected by the shutdown. Orange therefore invites its customers to check their equipment and, for phones, to use at minimum a terminal compatible with 3G, 4G, or 5G.
Other equipment may also lose their connection. Teleassistance devices for elderly or dependent people are among the equipment still using 2G. Home alarm systems and remote surveillance, connected intercoms and videophones, certain payment terminals, industrial sensors, and onboard telematics devices are also affected.
Elevators also represent an exposed sector. The professional federation counts 232,000 2G alarm systems and 58,000 3G systems to replace. Teleassistance for its part has 120,000 devices in 2G and 180,000 in 3G.
The problem is related to how these devices function. Alarm transmitters, teleassistance units, or elevator alarm systems can remain silent as long as no information needs to be sent. The disappearance of the network can therefore not be immediately detected.
Approximately two million SIM cards were still active at the beginning of the year on exclusively 2G equipment. Taking into account devices using both 2G and 3G, the fleet to be migrated is estimated at between six and eight million devices.
In Nice, this shutdown marks the beginning of the final phase of 2G disappearance for Orange in mainland France. After the shutdown in the municipality on September 22, 44 departments will be affected on October 6. Alpes-Maritimes will be part of this new wave. The remaining 43 mainland departments will follow on October 20.
Some regulatory white zones will be handled later, between December 1 and 15.
Other operators will follow their own schedule. SFR and Bouygues Telecom plan their first shutdowns for mid-November, before a generalization between December 1 and 15.
The case of Free Mobile is different. The operator does not operate its own 2G network and uses Orange’s through roaming, under a contract for end-of-life networks validated by Arcep until the end of 2028. Free subscribers therefore follow Orange’s schedule for this shutdown.
After 2G, 3G will in turn experience a shutdown. This second phase will occur before the end of 2028 for Orange and SFR, then at the end of 2029 for Bouygues Telecom. Other devices will then be affected, notably phones without 4G calling capability, known as VoLTE.
For residents of Nice, the first check concerns devices still connected in 2G. Old phones are not the only ones affected: several security, teleassistance, or communication devices may also depend on this network.
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