2G and 3G have been switched off in the US
Basic phones and flip phones make calls over 2G, 3G or 4G calling (VoLTE). Here's when each network switches 2G and 3G off, and what that means for your phone.
As of 22 October 2026
Every big network in the US has already switched off 2G and 3G, so a basic phone needs 4G calling to make calls.
Every network
Smaller networks use a big network's masts, so they have its 2G and 3G and its dates.
| Network | Uses | 2G | 3G |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | Own masts | OffSwitched off: 1 January 2017 Source | OffSwitched off: 22 February 2022 Source |
| T-Mobile | Own masts | OffSwitched off: 3 August 2026 Source | OffSwitched off: 1 July 2022 Source |
| Verizon | Own masts | Never had itIts older network was CDMA, not GSM. Source | OffSwitched off: 31 December 2022Verizon's 3G was its CDMA network. Source |
| Boost Mobile | AT&T | OffSame as AT&T | OffSame as AT&T |
| Consumer Cellular | AT&T | OffSame as AT&T | OffSame as AT&T |
| Cricket Wireless | AT&T | OffSame as AT&T | OffSame as AT&T |
| Google Fi | T-Mobile | OffSame as T-Mobile | OffSame as T-Mobile |
| Lively | Verizon | Never had itSame as Verizon | OffSame as Verizon |
| Metro by T-Mobile | T-Mobile | OffSame as T-Mobile | OffSame as T-Mobile |
| Mint Mobile | T-Mobile | OffSame as T-Mobile | OffSame as T-Mobile |
| Spectrum Mobile | Verizon | Never had itSame as Verizon | OffSame as Verizon |
| Straight Talk | Verizon | Never had itSame as Verizon | OffSame as Verizon |
| Total Wireless | Verizon | Never had itSame as Verizon | OffSame as Verizon |
| Tracfone | Verizon | Never had itSame as Verizon | OffSame as Verizon |
| UScellular | T-Mobile | OffSame as T-Mobile | OffSame as T-Mobile |
| Visible | Verizon | Never had itSame as Verizon | OffSame as Verizon |
| Xfinity Mobile | Verizon | Never had itSame as Verizon | OffSame as Verizon |
“Not confirmed” means the network hasn't announced a date we could find, or we couldn't confirm it. We don't estimate dates.
What it means for a basic phone
- While a network still runs 2G, almost any basic phone can make calls on it.
- After 2G and 3G are gone, a phone can only make calls with 4G calling (VoLTE). The phone has to support it, and the network has to turn it on for that phone. Many networks only do that for phones they've approved.
- A phone without 4G calling may still show signal and use 4G data, but it can't make or take calls.
- A phone we've confirmed makes 4G calls on your network isn't affected by either switch-off.
As of 23 Oct 2026, 1 of the 14 basic phones sold in the US is confirmed to make 4G calls on all 3 big networks.
See which phones make 4G calls on each network
Each network's page lists the phones we've confirmed on it: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon. All networks
Last updated 22 October 2026. How we check