What the 2G and 3G shutdown means
2G and 3G are the generations of mobile telephony that arrived in Colombia more than a decade ago. 2G handles calls and SMS with very slow data; 3G added basic mobile internet. Today the country's main network is 4G, and 5G is expanding in the cities.
“Switching off” a network means the operator dismantles those antennas and reuses their frequencies (the spectrum, the radio “lanes” that signals travel on) to give more capacity to 4G and 5G. It is a global trend: operators in dozens of countries have already shut down, or are shutting down, their 2G and 3G networks.
For a business, the risk is not the manager's phone, which is almost certainly 4G already, but devices nobody checks: card payment terminals, alarms, GPS trackers, modems or sensors installed years ago that only speak 2G or 3G.
What the CRC and MinTIC say: there is no single official date
This is the most confusing point. Unlike other countries, Colombia has no official shutdown schedule. The Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) reiterated this in a public response dated February 10, 2026: the agency states that setting dates is not its role and that, under the principle of technological neutrality in Ley 1341 de 2009 (Colombia's ICT law), it is the operators who decide when and where to switch off their networks.
What is regulated is user protection:
- Six months' notice: under CRC Resolution 5050 of 2016, if an operator is going to switch off the only network a user's device supports, it must notify the user at least six months in advance and offer alternatives for replacing the device.
- Coverage maps by technology: operators must publish on their websites where they offer 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G.
- Right to terminate the contract: if the service is not provided in the areas reported, the user may terminate the contract.
For its part, MinTIC published the Transition Plan to New Technologies in 2020, a roadmap to move 2G and 3G users to 4G through spectrum auctions, fewer barriers to antenna deployment and a review of device certification. That plan did not set a shutdown date.
Current status of the networks, operator by operator
Based on the most recent public CRC data (as of December 2024, published in June 2025) and statements from the operators, the picture is as follows:
- Tigo: fully shut down its 2G network at the end of 2022. The CRC confirmed in 2025 and in 2026 that it has no 2G stations in the country.
- Claro: in 2022 it announced it would switch off its 2G in 2023 and began with several municipalities, but as of December 2024 it still reported 4,802 2G sites and 8,003 3G sites. In October 2025 its president stated that it will keep all network generations, including 2G, because of rural areas and users who depend on basic phones and card payment terminals. It has not announced a shutdown date.
- Movistar: in mid-2024 the CRC recorded 2,632 2G sites for the operator, a figure it reduced only slightly over three years. In October 2026 Millicom announced that Movistar will operate under the Tigo brand; there is no confirmed public announcement on the future of its 2G and 3G.
- WOM: never deployed 2G. According to the CRC, it began dismantling its 3G in the last quarter of 2024.
Nationally, at the end of 2024 4G was the most advanced technology at 89% of the country's mobile sites, 2G sites fell 7.8% during the year and 3G sites 1.8%. In short: the shutdown is gradual and uneven across operators and municipalities, and it may reach your area without any national date announcing it.
Which devices may stop working
Any device that only works on 2G or 3G will lose service when its operator switches off that network in the area where it is installed. Pay special attention to:
- Old or “feature” phones: basic handsets that only make calls and send SMS.
- 4G phones without VoLTE: they browse on 4G, but to make calls they “drop down” to 3G or 2G. If those networks disappear, the device will have data but will not be able to make or receive regular calls.
- Card payment terminals: many use a 2G or 3G SIM to approve payments. A terminal without signal is a lost sale.
- Alarms and monitoring panels: the cellular communicators in alarms for offices, warehouses and ATMs are often 2G.
- GPS and fleet tracking: many trackers installed in cars and motorcycles are 2G or 3G.
- Telemetry and M2M: M2M (machine-to-machine) devices send data on their own, such as electricity or water meters, tank sensors, vending machines or industrial controllers.
- 3G modems and routers: used as backup internet in branches or points of sale.
- Fixed wireless phones with a SIM: desk phones that run on a cellular SIM, common on farms, at building reception desks and in elevators, are usually 2G or 3G.
An important fact: according to a 2022 CRC opinion, the device certification rules (CRC Resolution 6129 of 2020) did not ban the sale of devices that only support 2G or 3G. In other words, you can still buy, without realizing it, a device that will become obsolete. Always check the technical specifications.
VoLTE, 4G and 5G: what you need to know
VoLTE (Voice over LTE) is the way to make calls over the 4G network instead of using 2G or 3G. It is the key piece of the shutdown: once the older networks are gone, voice must travel over 4G or 5G.
- Advantages: calls connect faster, sound better and the phone can use data during the call.
- Requirements: a compatible phone, a 4G SIM, 4G coverage and VoLTE enabled by the operator for that line and that device model.
- How to enable it: on Android it usually appears as “VoLTE calls” or “4G calling” in the mobile network settings; on iPhone, under Cellular Data > Options > Voice & Data.
In Colombia, the CRC issued Resolution 6522 in 2022, which made it easier to interconnect VoLTE calls between different operators; before that, a 4G call only worked if both users were on the same network. As early as June 2021, about 20% of voice traffic was carried over VoLTE, according to figures cited at the time.
For M2M devices there are versions of 4G designed for low-power devices, known as LTE-M and NB-IoT. If you are going to replace alarms, meters or trackers, ask the supplier which technology they use and whether the operator offers it in your area.
What your business should check: a five-step plan
- Take an inventory of everything with a SIM: not just phones. Include card payment terminals, alarms, GPS units, modems, sensors and fixed wireless phones. Record the brand, model, operator and location.
- Check each device's technology: look in the technical specifications for 4G (LTE) support and, for voice, VoLTE. If it only lists GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS or HSPA, it is 2G or 3G.
- Check coverage by technology: review your operator's map at the exact address of each office, warehouse or point of sale. The CRC's Postdata platform also lets you look up infrastructure by technology and operator.
- Prioritize what is critical: start with what affects sales and security (payment terminals, alarms, fleet tracking) and budget for replacement in stages.
- Watch for notices: regulations require the operator to give six months' notice. If you receive a technology migration message, do not ignore it: act within that period.
A good time to do this exercise is when you renew contracts for fleets, alarms or payment terminals. Ask in writing for the new devices to be 4G with VoLTE or LTE-M, as appropriate. If you would like to review your corporate lines, explore our business mobile telephony options.
How to prepare with 19 80 TIC Cloud
The shutdown of older networks is also an opportunity to modernize the way your company communicates. At 19 80 TIC Cloud, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator partnered with Suma Móvil, we work on 4G mobile networks and cloud services designed for businesses:
- +57 business mobile numbers that receive hundreds of calls at once and distribute them among your agents, without depending on one person's handset.
- Cloud PBX and call center: your calls travel over the internet, so they work on 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi or fiber.
- WhatsApp, SMS and AI voice agents integrated with your CRM, so you can keep serving customers as volume grows.
If you have questions about which devices in your operation are at risk or how to migrate your telephony, speak with an advisor and we will review your case.
