Jio, which is currently leading the rollout of 5G services in India, has now suggested that 2G and 3G services should be shut down in the country. The telecom operator made the comments as part of its response to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI’s)’s consultation paper, titled ‘Digital Transformation through 5G Ecosystem.’ The telecom operator wants users to be upgraded to the modern 4G and 5G networks. Vodafone-Idea (Vi) is also in support of this move.
In September 2023, TRAI released a report on ‘Digital Transformation through 5G Ecosystem’ highlighting the benefits of 5G networks. In response to this report, Jio says that the government should develop a policy and path for closing down 2G and 3G networks in the country. This will save unnecessary network costs for telecom operators and help users migrate to the latest 4G and 5G networks.
It is worth noting that Jio does not have any 2G services in the country, as the company started its services directly on a 4G network in 2016. However, Jio is the largest telecom operator in the country and plays a significant role in shaping and driving the telecommunications market in India.
From a customer perspective, the shutdown of 2G and 3G services could cause some inconvenience in the short term, especially for users in rural areas. In the longer run, users will be upgraded at least to 4G, which is significantly better than 3G in terms of internet speeds, voice quality, and other aspects. This will further help to boost digitization in areas of India, where people use still feature phones with limited internet connectivity.
If we look at this move from the telecom operator’s side, it will help these companies to increase the average revenue per user (ARPU). When more customers shift to 4G networks, it will increase the data consumption among users, eventually driving demand for recharges with higher data limits. Hence, Jio and Vi want to slowly phase out 2G and 3G networks in India. Airtel is yet to provide a statement on this matter.
It will be interesting to see how TRAI responds to Jio’s suggestion to shut down 2G and 3G services in the country. The decision will affect millions of users in India, majorly in rural areas.
However, there is no need to worry about the same as of now. If the TRAI favours this suggestion, it will provide enough time for all users to shift to 4G services. Given the massive number of active 2G and 3G users in India, these networks will not be shut down overnight.
Countries like Japan, Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, and many others have already phased out 2G networks, and have embraced 4G and 5G networks as the default standards. India is expected to follow the same path over the next few years.
