Government announces 2G and 3G shutdown dates, again
28 June 2024
News
Recently published in the Government Gazette, the communications minister has announced a new date for the shutdown of 2G and 3G mobile networks in South Africa. According to the policy document, the government wants these legacy networks to be shut down by 31 December 2027, giving players in this field over three years to upgrade to the newer 4G and 5G devices available.
This preliminary deadline is contained in the policy document on next-generation radio frequency spectrum for economic development. According to the policy document, the following timelines must be adhered to:
• Communications regulator ICASA must stop approving 2G- and 3G-only devices by no later than 30 September 2024.
• Network operators must stop activating 2G- and 3G-only devices by 31 December 2024.
• Network operators must begin the shutdown of their legacy 2G and 3G infrastructure from 1 June 2025.
• A total shutdown of 2G and 3G networks must be completed by no later than 31 December 2027.
Further reading:
From the editor's desk: The art of measuring the truth
Technews Publishing
Editor's Choice News
All electronic measurements are a lie. The trick is making the lie as small as possible.
Read more...
TSE has relocated
News
The Technology Station in Electronics (TSE) has entered a new chapter with its relocation from the CSIR campus to TUT-owned building at Ditsela Place in Hatfield.
Read more...
Innovative MyLegrand app
RS South Africa
News
Legrand SA is set to launch the MyLegrand mobile application, a digital platform designed to strengthen engagement across its professional network.
Read more...
Kulani Energy acquires critical assets from Optipower
News
Kulani Energy preserves engineering, procurement, and construction capability and positions a wholly women-owned firm at the forefront of South Africa’s grid expansion.
Read more...
From Cape Town to Johannesburg
News
Würth Elektronik South Africa has taken a significant step forward with its recent relocation from Cape Town to Johannesburg, marking a new phase of growth and ambition for the company.
Read more...
Lesley Havenga: Building partnerships for Africa’s electronics future
Editor's Choice News
As Würth Electronik expands its footprint across South Africa and the broader sub-Saharan region, Havenga’s blend of manufacturing expertise, supply chain knowledge, and people-centred leadership appears well suited to the task.
Read more...
Tackling e-waste with help from international partners
News
Every year millions of electrical and electronic devices and appliances, including mobile phones and computers, are thrown away and these items are now the fastest growing waste stream in the world.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Pricing surge reshapes engineering reality
Technews Publishing
News
The recent and continuing surge in memory prices has become more than a supply-chain story confined to global semiconductor markets. We have watched in disbelief as the ASP of memory has risen by over
...
Read more...
Siemens democratises EDA software access
News
This collaboration will provide streamlined access to advanced electronic design automation software for European semiconductor innovation.
Read more...
Components distribution: A promising trend
News
The European electronic components market returned to solid growth in Q1, gaining 16,9%, with broad, but uneven, momentum across the region.
Read more...