Over the decades, Orange has developed an extensive, high-performance mobile network to meet growing digital needs, with 2G, 3G, then 4G and 5G.
In 2022, Orange announced its intention to end this stacking of technologies, and to give priority only to the most recent.
Over the next few years, 2G and 3G will give way to 4G and 5G.
That’s why, from 2026, Orange will stop its 2G network in several successive phases.
As a first step, Orange will stop 2G in a specific area of South-West France, covering 9 départements.
Here are the key phases in this process :
- March 31, 2026, shutdown of 2G in the Bayonne-Biarritz-Anglet Urban Unit (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 64),
- May 12, 2026, shutdown of 2G in the rest of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department (64) and the entire Landes department (40),
- June 9, 2026, shutdown of 2G in seven other départements in the Sud-Ouest region : Ariège (09), Haute-Garonne (31), Gers (32), Lot (46), Lot-et-Garonne (47), Hautes-Pyrénées (65) and Tarn-et-Garonne (82).
The generalisation of the 2G shutdown across the whole metropolitan area is planned from the end of September 2026.
3G technology is scheduled to switch off from the end of 2028.
Learn more (opens in a new window)
It is important to note that French operators (or operators operating in mainland France) are responsible for notifying their own customers: of the shutdown of the 2G/3G networks of their hosts operators and of the consequences this may have for those customers.