They have been with us for a long time and are still used by many people and on different devices. However, the second and third generation networks, known as 2G and 3G, have an expiration date and will stop working in the next few years. Although there is still time for it, we must prepare ourselves. There are many customers with mobile devices that only support 2G or 3G , especially those with little developed technology and 2G is the basis of devices such as point of sale terminals or devices with M2M connection. This network is still very widespread throughout the world, and that is why it still has years to go before it is definitively switched off.
First the 3G networks will disappear and then the same will be done with the 2G. The second mobile generation, 2G or GSM was the first digital generation and the first global cellular communications network standardized by the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute ). This network, which dates back to 1991, is still very important today, and we also know the dangers. And we will talk about it, as well as how you can deactivate it to improve the security of your devices. Today there are more mobile networks to which you can connect your smartphone.
Every day there are more 4G or 5G devices and these two technologies are gaining more prominence in the market, especially in mobile devices, to the point that if you buy a new phone today, it will most likely have one of these connections.
The 5G network is making so much of its way that very soon it will be the one that dominates the mobile market. Although for this it will be necessary for the previous ones to disappear, because when they do, their frequencies will leave a gap that 5G will take advantage of , which will provide greater speed, less latency and a better service. Other advantages of what is to come is lower energy consumption and the reduction of polluting gas emissions.
How to disable 2G networks on your mobile
There are several ways to disable these networks, so we will tell you how you can do it so that you can check which one is the best according to your mobile.
From mobile settings
Depending on the model, the route may vary slightly, so it is best to try to find this option in your mobile in the network settings, in your SIM card. You can also access it by pressing hard where it puts mobile networks in a shortcut on your phone. If you don’t disable it, this network will only be used for emergency calls.
If you want to do it, the steps are:
- Open Settings
- Go to Network and Internet.
- Enter SIM.
- Give to deactivate “Allow 2G”.
dialing a code
If you can’t find this option or your phone doesn’t allow it yet, you can still do it with a code that you’ll need to enter into your phone’s dialer, as if you were going to make a call. This is *#*#4636#*#*. When you mark it, a new screen will open that puts information about phone 1 (choose this first option, since there are more).
Where it says preferred network type, you can change it to NR/LTE/WCDMA. If you only want 4G and 5G networks, thus removing 3G, you can choose this type of network: NR/LTE.
Problems you may have if you don’t disable it
If you don’t disable 2G networks, your phone may be in danger. A Positive Technologies report that analyzed more than 28 operators on different continents has found several vulnerabilities in 2G and 3G networks. The 2G network can present major problems for the security of your devices, and yours, first of all, because its encryption is very weak and today it is much easier for cybercriminals to intercept calls and messages.
In addition, since there is no identification between the mobile and the tower that emits the signal, it is even more dangerous and a Stingray attack could occur. These could allow attackers to obtain data from your mobile such as your messages, calls or web history. They could also detect your location, block service, and much more.
Taking into account the security problems that 2G technology can cause, and that they will not be corrected, but will increase due to the “cunning” of attackers, Google already allows it to be deactivated on its Android devices.
