2G switch-off: when will your GSM gate opener stop opening the gate?
Many GSM gate openers installed over the years run on the 2G network, including our own BGates GT. When the SIM’s operator switches 2G off, the module can no longer find the network and the gate stops opening when you call.
Here you’ll find the dates announced in seven countries, each with its source, how to tell whether your device is 2G, and what to do before it happens.
What happens
The day after the switch-off
A 2G GSM gate opener works by receiving a call on its SIM: it recognises the number, rejects the call and sends the pulse to the gate controller. To receive that call it has to be registered on the operator’s 2G network.
Once that network is gone, the module no longer registers: callers find the number unreachable, configuration text messages don’t arrive, and the gate stays shut. The module isn’t broken and no update will fix it: it simply has no network left to talk to.
What counts is the network the SIM inside it relies on, even if it’s a virtual operator. Remote controls and keys keep working as before.
The dates, country by country
These are the dates announced by the operators or reported by the regulators. Where there is no date, we say so.
| Country | Operators and 2G switch-off | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad: not announced yet. 2G is on today and no operator has given a switch-off date. | |
| Germany | Telekom: announced for 30 June 2028. Vodafone: by the end of September 2028 (some critical applications, by agreement, until the end of 2030). Telefónica (O2): by the end of 2028. 1&1 has no 2G network of its own and uses Vodafone’s. | |
| France | Orange: switched off on 20 October 2026 (in regulatory white zones it stays on until 1–15 December 2026). Free: no 2G network of its own, follows Orange. SFR and Bouygues Telecom: announced for 15 December 2026, with the first towns from 15 November. | |
| Spain | Orange: announced by 2030. Movistar and Vodafone: not announced yet. | |
| Switzerland | Already off on every network. Swisscom in April 2021, Sunrise, the last one, on 3 January 2023; Salt no longer runs 2G either. | |
| Netherlands | Odido: switched off on 1 June 2023. KPN: announced for 1 December 2027 (since March 2026 2G has already been removed for customers who don’t need it). VodafoneZiggo: not announced yet, and not before the end of 2026. | |
| Portugal | MEO, NOS and Vodafone: not announced yet. |
How to tell
Is your gate opener 2G?
- Check the label or the manual. If it says GSM, GPRS, 2G or the 900/1800 MHz bands, and there’s no mention of 4G, LTE or VoLTE, the module is 2G.
- 4G without VoLTE isn’t enough. A 4G module without VoLTE makes and receives calls through 2G or 3G: once those are gone, it stops opening on a call too.
- BGates GT is 2G. It works as long as its SIM’s operator keeps 2G on.
Not sure? Send us the make and model of the device and we’ll tell you which network it uses.
What to do
Move to a 4G GSM gate opener with VoLTE
The answer is a 4G GSM module with VoLTE, which receives calls on the 4G network. That’s what BGates AI 4G is: 4G LTE with VoLTE, with the IoT SIM already inside. It opens with a free call, from the app or via Bluetooth.
It goes in the electrical panel, on DIN rail, and its relay connects to the gate controller’s “start” or “pedestrian” input, usually the same one the old module used. It’s work on the electrical panel, so an installer does it. Before you order, look at the wiring diagrams.
BGates AI 4G costs €69 including VAT. With the BGates SIM you choose a plan: Smart, for private customers, from €3.99 a month on the yearly plan, VAT included, up to 500 numbers; Business, for VAT-registered businesses, from €6.99 a month + VAT on the yearly plan, up to 1,000 numbers. You can also use your own voice SIM with VoLTE enabled: it opens when you call and is set up by text message.
Frequently asked questions
Questions from people who have a 2G GSM gate opener.
As long as your SIM’s operator keeps 2G on, the module keeps opening. It’s best to replace it before the announced date, not after: on switch-off day the gate stops opening on a call without warning.
Only for a while, if another operator keeps 2G on for longer. Once 2G is off everywhere, no SIM will bring it back: you need a 4G module with VoLTE.
Yes, the new device has its own list. With the BGates SIM you add and remove numbers from your phone or computer, and whoever needs to open gets the invitation on WhatsApp; with your own SIM they’re added by text message.
A Wi-Fi gate opener is another option, with other limits. We compare them in the guide GSM or Wi-Fi gate opener.
The 2G switch-off dates are set by the operators and may change. We checked them on 27 October 2026 against the sources listed in the table.
Device prices include VAT. Smart plan VAT included; Business plan for VAT-registered businesses only, fees + VAT. The SIM activation is charged on first purchase. Installation is not included.
Business Gates S.r.l. · P.IVA 05759280968 · Via Ripamonti 44, 20141 Milano · info@bgates.it