2G and 3G switch-off in France
Quick answer
2G in France: Closing, last planned 2026. Orange closed 2G in mainland France by 20 October 2026, with Free on its network, and the white zones follow from 1 to 15 December 2026. SFR and Bouygues are reported closing 2G from 15 November 2026, ending 1 to 15 December. 3G follows from 2028 (Orange, SFR) to end 2029 (Bouygues), with Free's 3G date not yet announced. Arcep keeps the official calendar.
3GPlanned at some operators, 2028 to 2029
2GClosing, last planned 2026
Operators
Checked 1 November 2026.
Dates are set by each operator and can change. Check with us before you plan around them.
| Operator | 3G | 2G |
|---|---|---|
| Orange | Planned, 2028 | Off in mainland France by 20 October 2026; white zones 1 to 15 December 2026 |
| SFR | Planned, end of 2028 | Reported closing from 15 November 2026, ending 1 to 15 December (press); no operator notice yet |
| Bouygues Telecom | Planned, end of 2029 | Reported closing from 15 November 2026, ending 1 to 15 December (press); no operator notice yet |
| Free Mobile | No date announced | Off in mainland France by 20 October 2026; white zones 1 to 15 December 2026 |
Details
- Orange 2G. Off in nine south-west departments since spring 2026; remaining mainland waves 22 September, 6 October and 20 October 2026, regulatory white zones 1 to 15 December 2026. Orange
- Orange 3G. Orange will switch off 3G in mainland France in 2028, after 2G. Orange
- SFR 2G. Arcep's operator calendar (updated 10 September 2026) lists SFR's national 2G stop for 15 November 2026; SFR itself says end of 2026. Arcep
- SFR 3G. SFR plans to switch off 3G nationally at the end of 2028. SFR
- Bouygues Telecom 2G. Pilot switch-off in Brest, Guipavas, Nancy and Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy on 15 November, then nationwide in the first half of December 2026. Arcep
- Bouygues Telecom 3G. Bouygues Telecom will switch off 3G three years after 2G, at the end of 2029. Bouygues Telecom
- Free Mobile 2G. Free has no 2G network of its own (Arcep); its help page follows the same regional waves as Orange, with 2G fully off in mainland France on 20 October 2026. Free
- Free Mobile 3G. Arcep's calendar (updated 10 September 2026) shows no 3G switch-off date announced for Free Mobile. Arcep
- SFR 2G. Selectra reported SFR's and Bouygues Telecom's 2G closing from 15 November 2026, ending 1 to 15 December; no operator notice yet. Selectra
Regulator and government
- Arcep keeps a per-operator 2G/3G switch-off calendar for mainland France and each overseas territory (updated 10 September 2026); it says switch-off decisions are the operators' and the calendar changes as they announce dates. Arcep
- Arcep's 2G/3G SIM observatory: 1.91 million SIMs in 2G/3G-only phones at end June 2026 (2.4% of active SIMs in such devices), plus 2.01 million M2M SIMs in 2G/3G-only devices. Arcep
- On 30 March 2026 Arcep published an expert-committee report on how the 2G/3G shutdown affects mobile coverage, noting operators' stop dates run from late March 2026 to 2029 in mainland France. Arcep
- The government (DGE) and Arcep published a joint practical guide (July 2025) urging owners of 2G/3G-only alarms, lift phones, telecare and medical devices to migrate. DGE / Arcep
What this means for your devices
Each SIM profile has its own page, showing where it works and what it supports.
Common questions
When does 2G switch off in France?
Closing, last planned 2026.
Is 3G still working in France?
Planned at some operators, 2028 to 2029.
Sources
- Arrêt de la 2G et de la 3G, Orange
- Fermeture des réseaux mobiles 2G et 3G : ce qu'il faut anticiper, Arcep
- Tout savoir sur la fermeture des réseaux 2G et 3G en France, SFR
- Fin de la 2G et de la 3G : 4 questions pour tout comprendre !, Bouygues Telecom
- Fin du réseau 2G en France, Free
- Fin de la 2G chez SFR et Bouygues Telecom, Selectra
- Cartes SIM 2G/3G : derniers chiffres, Arcep
- L'Arcep publie un rapport sur l'impact de l'extinction des technologies 2G et 3G sur la couverture des réseaux mobiles, Arcep
- Guide pratique : les réseaux télécom mobiles 2G et 3G vont s'éteindre, DGE / Arcep
Checked 1 November 2026. Dates move, so check the operator’s own notice before you plan a change.