As 2G Base Stations Dwindle, What Can Users of Elderly Feature Phones with Poor Signals Do?

Large buttons, loud speakers, and ultra-long standby time — 2G elderly feature phones are an essential tool for many seniors to stay in touch with their children. Recently, a Shanghai resident reported to The Paper that the elderly family member's phone, which only supports 2G signals, has been frequently losing signal or requiring multiple call attempts to get through.

In response to these reports of poor signal, reporters from The Paper visited physical stores of China Mobile and China Unicom in Shanghai in early July, and also called customer service hotlines 10086 and 10010 to investigate. Multiple store staff and customer service representatives stated that as 5G networks become widespread, the number of base stations providing 2G and 3G services is gradually decreasing. "For 2G and 3G phones, poor signal conditions will become increasingly frequent," they said.

However, China Mobile customer service noted that there has been no notice of a complete shutdown of the 2G network in Shanghai, and the 2G network is still usable. They explained that if a phone's signal has suddenly deteriorated recently, "it could also be a problem with the SIM card or phone hardware — try inserting the SIM card into another phone to see if there is signal, to identify the cause." Nevertheless, given the declining number of 2G base stations, customer service recommended that users switch to phones that support 4G or 5G.

A staff member at a China Unicom store in the Pudong New Area admitted that although there is no official shutdown document, Unicom's 2G and 3G networks have essentially "basically disappeared." "If a phone doesn't support 4G, the SIM card will be unusable most of the time," the staff member explained. "The signal comes and goes — most of the time it shows 'no service.' Even when there is signal, you might need to dial several times before getting through."

Regarding whether there is a specific timeline for the 2G network phase-out, China Mobile customer service and store staff said that if the 2G network in Shanghai is officially retired, users of all frequency bands will be notified in advance via announcements or text messages. China Unicom customer service responded that there is "no announcement," and gave no definite answer on whether users would be notified by phone or text in advance. Unicom's physical store staff also said there is no specific notice for users.

A China Mobile customer service representative told reporters that what network a phone can use depends on the phone's hardware itself. A phone that only supports 2G has internal chips and antennas that can only search for and connect to 2G network signals. If users switch to an elderly-friendly phone that supports 4G, the same SIM card will automatically adapt and operate on the 4G network. As long as the SIM card is not damaged, users can purchase a similar model that supports 4G, and their existing rate plans will be retained. However, when purchasing a new phone, users must confirm that it is labeled as supporting full network compatibility for 4G and 5G.

The Paper noted that as early as December 2023, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) responded to the public's concerns about "2G and 3G network phase-out." According to Xinhua News Agency, an MIIT official stated at the time that phasing out 2G and 3G networks is an inevitable choice for the upgrade of mobile communications networks, but user protection measures must also be improved. The phase-out can only be implemented with full protection of user rights and interests. The MIIT will make overall plans and promote the process reasonably, while requiring mobile communications companies to plan early and inform users early, creating conditions for users to be "willing to transition" and "happy to transition."

Looking nationwide, work related to 2G and 3G network phase-out is steadily progressing. For example, Jiangsu Mobile issued an "Announcement on Gradually Carrying Out 2G Network Upgrades" in May 2026. Mobile companies in Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Quzhou and other cities in Zhejiang also successively issued "Announcements on Orderly Phase-out of 2G Networks" in the first half of 2026, which clearly stated that local 2G networks will be gradually phased out. At that time, terminals, rate plans, and SIM cards that only support 2G networks will become unusable, and timely upgrades are recommended. In addition, Zhejiang Unicom also issued an "Announcement on 3G Network Service Phase-out" on May 15, 2026, stating that Zhejiang Unicom's 3G network will fully exit service on June 15, 2026.