The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology responded to the withdrawal of 2G/3G networks: an inevitable choice for upgrading

Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology responded to users' concerns about 2G/3G network withdrawal on the People's Daily Online Leadership Message Board. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology stated that 2G/3G network withdrawal is an inevitable choice for the renewal of mobile communication networks, and is also the main practice in the world. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology pointed out that network withdrawal work needs to be planned and promoted reasonably. Telecom companies should formulate network withdrawal plans based on their own conditions, and only when the rights and interests of users are fully protected can network withdrawal be implemented.

Attached is the full text of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s reply:

Since our ministry issued 5G licenses in June 2019, China's 5G commercialization has officially started. my country's mobile communications have entered the stage of "four generations coexisting under one roof" of 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G.

First, 2G/3G network withdrawal is an inevitable choice for the renewal of mobile communication networks, and it is also the main practice in the world at present. According to incomplete statistics, more than 100 operators around the world have implemented 2G/3G network withdrawal, and used the 2G/3G withdrawn frequencies for the deployment of 4G/5G. Using limited frequency resources and network resources in the development of 5G and 4G mobile communication networks will help reduce network operating costs as a whole and improve my country's network operating efficiency. At the same time, most of the current full-network mobile phones need to support all six standards and more than ten frequency bands. Network withdrawal can also reduce the complexity of mobile phones, which is conducive to improving the performance of mobile phones and reducing the cost of mobile phone terminals.

Second, the withdrawal of mobile communication network is not a simple "withdrawal at will". It is necessary to improve user protection measures and implement withdrawal only under the premise of fully protecting user rights and interests. Enterprises should plan and inform early, and must have user protection measures and perfect user after-care plans, and have the ability to provide better network coverage, stronger business capabilities and better service quality, so as to create conditions for users to "willingly withdraw" and "happily withdraw".

In the next step, considering that the withdrawal of mobile communications involves many users and has a great social impact, it is necessary to make overall plans and promote them reasonably, give play to the role of market decision-making, strengthen the main responsibility of enterprises, and let telecommunications enterprises formulate withdrawal plans based on their own conditions, start 2G withdrawal work in a timely manner, and do a good job in public opinion guidance, user aftermath, shut down base stations, stop services, vacate resources, apply for cancellation of licenses, etc. Our department will promote and do a good job in protecting user rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations.