A1 Austria, the largest telecom operator in the country, said on May 4 that it plans to shut down its 2G network in May 2028. The company framed the move as part of a broader network modernization plan, and it follows a wider European pattern as more carriers either retire 2G entirely or announce timelines for doing so.
According to the report, A1 says ending 2G service is now a technical necessity. The company argues that keeping old network layers alive no longer makes much sense if the goal is to improve long-term security, maintain network quality, raise energy efficiency, and free up resources for newer mobile technologies.
A1 also said it will replace older SIM cards for customers who are still using legacy cards that don’t support LTE. That exchange will be offered free of charge, which matters because the practical burden of a 2G shutdown often falls hardest on long-time users who haven’t updated devices or SIMs in years.
Jiří Dvorjančanský, CEO of A1 Austria, described 2G as the foundation that kicked off the mobile internet era. In his view, people wouldn’t be streaming high-definition video on smartphones or joining video meetings on the go today without the pioneering role that 2G once played.
At the same time, he said 2G now plays only a very minor role in the modern network stack and needs to make room for stronger, more efficient standards. A1’s position is that continued network upgrades are the best way to ensure customers still get stable, secure, and efficient mobile service in the years ahead.
The timing also lines up with what’s happening elsewhere. The source article points to similar moves in Europe, including the UK’s longer-term path toward phasing out 2G and Hong Kong’s already announced retirement schedule. Google has also previously urged Android users to disable 2G access when possible because old network standards can create security exposure in certain attack scenarios.
So while this announcement has a nostalgic angle, the real takeaway is pretty straightforward: operators no longer see 2G as essential infrastructure. For A1, the tradeoff now favors security, efficiency, and spectrum space over preserving a legacy network that serves only a shrinking slice of users.
