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Preparing Critical Systems for the PSTN, 2G & 3G Shutdown

July 17, 2026 8 min read Person wearing a blue plaid shirt against a clean white studio background. by Grant Gallacher

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As PSTN, 2G, and 3G networks shut down, your emergency systems are at risk. Learn how to migrate your infrastructure before it's too late.

Across Europe, telecom operators are retiring legacy communication technologies such as PSTN, ISDN, 2G, and 3G. While these networks have provided reliable connectivity for decades, maintaining them is becoming increasingly expensive, and providers are shifting their focus to LTE and IP-based infrastructure.

For organizations that rely on emergency communication systems, this transition is more than a routine technology upgrade. Elevators, alarm systems, healthcare devices, and other critical infrastructure may still depend on legacy networks that are approaching retirement. Understanding how these changes affect existing systems is the first step towards ensuring reliable communication in the years ahead.

Why Legacy Networks Are Being Shut Down

For nearly a century, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) – often referred to as POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) and known to most as the traditional landline telephone system – served as the bedrock of global connectivity. Later, digital services such as ISDN and mobile technologies including 2G and 3G expanded these capabilities, which revolutionized wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. These technologies were prized for their simplicity and "always-on" reliability.

However, we have reached a tipping point. Telecom operators are grappling with "technological debt" as maintaining aging copper wires and legacy cellular hardware is no longer sustainable. The equipment is energy-inefficient, replacement parts are scarce, and the specialized workforce required to maintain these systems is retiring. Consequently, providers are reallocating their spectrum to 4G LTE and 5G networks, which offer significantly higher bandwidth and lower latency.

The challenge for organizations is that many critical systems were "set and forget." Devices installed fifteen or twenty years ago may still be pulsing data over 2G or relying on an analog landline. As these networks go dark, the transition isn't just about changing service providers; it requires a fundamental shift from circuit-switched, analog thinking to packet-switched, digital infrastructure.

Key Shutdown Deadlines You Cannot Ignore

The shutdown of PSTN, 2G, and 3G networks is already happening across the world. Knowing when these services will be retired in your region is the first step towards protecting critical systems from unexpected disruption.

  • UK - All UK 2G and 3G networks are scheduled to shut down by 2030 at the latest. The migration to 4G and 5G is already underway, with operators retiring legacy services according to their own timelines.
  • US - Most major US carriers have already shut down their 2G and 3G networks, with nationwide 3G services largely retired by the end of 2022. Organizations relying on legacy cellular connectivity should review their infrastructure now, as 4G LTE and 5G have become the standard for future communications.
  • EU - The shutdown of PSTN, 2G, and 3G networks is progressing across Europe, with timelines varying by country and operator. While some countries have already completed the transition, many others plan to retire legacy networks by 2028 or later as they expand 4G and 5G infrastructure.
  • AU - Australia completed the shutdown of its 3G networks in 2024, with all major carriers now relying on 4G and 5G services. The transition has already affected a range of devices that depended on legacy connectivity, making it essential for organizations to verify that critical systems are compatible with modern networks.

Which Critical Systems Will Stop Working?

The shutdown is not merely a concern for IT departments; it is a critical issue for facility managers, security directors, and safety officers across a wide range of industries. Because legacy technology is often "hidden" within the building’s infrastructure, the scope of the impact is frequently underestimated.

  • Elevator safety

Perhaps the most critical sector affected is the elevator systems. In many regions, building codes strictly mandate that elevators have a working emergency communication system. Historically, these have relied on PSTN lines or 2G/3G gateways. If the network is retired, a person trapped in a lift would be unable to signal for help, creating a massive safety risk and a legal nightmare for the building owner.

  • Security and fire alarms

Many legacy alarm panels communicate with Central Monitoring Stations (CMS) via DTMF tones over landlines or 2G signals. A network shutdown means these panels can no longer "phone home" during a fire or a security breach.

  • Healthcare and telecare

In the healthcare sector, emergency pendants and home-based monitoring systems for older people often rely on 2G or 3G connectivity. For these users, a loss of connection is not an inconvenience – it is a life-threatening failure.

  • Infrastructure and access control

Parking garage help points, gate intercoms, and remote environmental monitoring stations in utility sectors often utilize older cellular modules. Without proactive migration, these systems will simply cease to function, leading to operational paralysis.

The Benefits of Migrating to an IP-Based System

Transitioning away from legacy networks is an opportunity to move toward a more resilient and intelligent infrastructure. Moving to LTE (4G) and IP-based communications offers benefits that go far beyond simple connectivity.

Modern infrastructure allows for remote management and diagnostics. Unlike a "silent" analog line that you only discover is broken when it fails during an emergency, IP-based systems can be monitored in real time. 2n-elevator-centre can send alerts the moment a device goes offline, allowing for proactive maintenance.

Furthermore, moving to digital protocols simplifies the integration of emergency systems with modern dispatch centers. It enables higher-quality audio and the potential to share video or data-rich information during an emergency call, providing responders with better situational awareness.

Choosing Your Migration Path: VoLTE vs. VoIP

As organizations look toward 4G LTE as the primary successor, they must choose between two distinct technical paths: VoLTE and VoIP. This choice is particularly vital for systems that rely on signaling, like elevators.

VoLTE (Voice over LTE)

VoLTE enables voice communication directly over the LTE mobile network. It is the "native" way mobile operators handle voice today.

  • Advantages:
    • Availability: There is a wide range of VoLTE-ready gateways available today.
    • Native support: It is the standard service provided by mobile carriers, making deployment relatively straightforward for standard voice-only applications.
  • Limitations and risks:
    • DTMF integrity: This is the primary concern for the elevator and alarm sectors. VoLTE uses highly compressed audio codecs designed for human speech. These codecs often distort DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) signals – the tones used to transmit data like "Elevator with an ID 402."
    • Protocol failure: Protocols like P100 and CPC, which are standard in the elevator industry, rely on precise DTMF signaling. If these tones are compressed or clipped by the VoLTE network, the dispatch center might receive the call, but won't be able to identify its origin.
    • Inconsistency: VoLTE implementations vary across carriers, and international roaming support is still maturing, leading to unpredictable performance.

VoIP (SIP over LTE)

In a VoIP (Voice over IP) architecture, the LTE network acts purely as a data pipe. The gateway uses the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to transmit voice as data packets.

  • Advantages:
    • Signaling reliability: VoIP allows for much better handling of DTMF tones, either as "in-band" audio or as "out-of-band" RFC 2833 packets, which preserves the integrity of elevator protocols like P100.
    • Future-proofing: It is fully compatible with modern digital switchboards and VoIP-based dispatch centers.
    • Cost efficiency: Organizations can choose from a wide variety of VoIP providers, often securing much lower monthly tariffs than traditional mobile voice plans.
  • Considerations:
    • Infrastructure shift: To use this path effectively, the receiving end (the dispatch center or monitoring station) must be capable of receiving SIP/VoIP calls.

How to modernize your systems without replacing everything

The migration process shouldn't be a "rip and replace" of your entire hardware inventory. The most efficient way to modernize is to use intelligent gateways that bridge the gap between old and new systems.

Solutions like the 2N EasyGate IP and 2N EasyGate IP+ are[M21.1] designed specifically for this transition. These devices can convert the analog signal from an existing elevator phone or alarm panel into a digital VoIP/SIP signal for transmission over the 4G LTE network. This allows building owners to keep their existing, functional endpoint hardware while upgrading the "brain" of the communication link to a future-proof, IP-capable standard.

Why acting early is essential: The January 2027 milestone

Waiting until the last 2G tower in your area is switched off is a high-risk strategy. As the shutdown deadlines have already been reached in some countries and are rapidly approaching in others, one date stands out as a critical industry milestone: January 2027. Many major global operators have targeted this date for a complete transition to 4G and 5G. As this deadline approaches, several bottlenecks will occur:

  1. Hardware shortages: As thousands of buildings attempt to upgrade at once, lead times for gateways will increase.
  2. Labor scarcity: Specialized technicians who understand both elevator mechanics and IP networking will be in high demand, driving up installation costs.
  3. Unplanned outages: Carriers often degrade 2G/3G service quality months before the final shutdown to encourage migration, leading to intermittent failures in critical systems.
  4. Compliance and liability: Waiting until the last minute increases the risk of a system failing before an upgrade is complete, leaving building owners liable for any safety incidents.

Conclusion: secure your continuity today

The retirement of PSTN, 2G, and 3G networks marks the end of a telecommunications era, but it also signals a new beginning for smarter, more reliable, and more manageable emergency communication. By understanding the technical nuances – particularly the importance of DTMF reliability and the choice between VoLTE and VoIP – organizations can ensure that their critical systems remain a dependable lifeline.

Proactive planning today prevents an emergency tomorrow. January 2027 is closer than it appears; ensure your elevators, alarms, and safety systems are ready for the digital-only future.


Are you ready for the shutdown?

To help you evaluate your migration options and choose the right technology for your specific needs, we have created a practical, in-depth guide.

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Grant Gallacher

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Marketing copywriter

Grant is a copywriter and comedian from Scotland who moved to Prague in 2018 and joined 2N in 2025. He has failed miserably at learning Czech, but luckily, his English is much good-er.