2G: done for in a decade, by 3G

Stuart Corner
Monday, 29 March 2010 11:09

IT Industry - Development

On March 31 one of the world's first 2G digital cellular networks, in Japan, will be one of the first to be closed down as a result of becoming obsolete.

According to a report from Japan-based mobile market research firm and consultancy, Eurotechnology Japan, Softbank will shut down its 2G service on March 31 to be followed in 2012 by NTT DoCoMo after which time  "there will be no more 2G cellphone services in Japan at all."

The research firm says that 95 percent of handsets in Japan are now 3G devices and points out that this closure will mean that it will have taken just over a decade for 3G services to completely replace 2G in Japan.

"NTT-DoCoMo started 3G services in May 2001 for testing, and from October 2001 in full commercial service. Therefore the complete 2G to 3G transition from start to finish will have taken 10 years and 10 months in Japan."

However the rapid demise of 2G in Japan is unlikely to be replicated in other markets. According to the research firm, "In GSM countries mobile phone handsets typically include 2G and 3G circuitry, and base stations use 2G or 3G transmission depending on the location'¦In Japan on the other hand, handsets are either 2G or 3G but not both, promoting a clear switch from 2G to 3G."

This may have contributed to a faster development of 3G services in Japan, but Eurotechnology points out, it also meant, that there was no market outside of Japan for the advanced 3G applications developed there.