A million Israelis face mobile blackout as 2G, 3G shutdown looms

A million Israelis could lose mobile phone access by year’s end as cellular companies prepare to stop second- and third-generation (2G and 3G) networks on December 31st 2025. The move, set after four years of planning, threatens communication chaos - especially for Haredi, elderly, and low-income users. 

Starting from 1st January 2026, only cellular devices operating in 4th and 5th generation technologies that support VoLTE calls will continue to receive service. And only machine-to-machine (M2M) communication systems such as electric gates, lighting sensors, and irrigation systems that support 4th and 5th generation technologies will continue to receive service.

The Ministry of Communications estimates 1.5 million mobile lines still rely on 2G and 3G, with a million in personal hands and 500,000 tied to devices like gates and medical equipment. The December cutoff could sever phone service for thousands of users, disrupt data, and disable critical systems such as elevators or defibrillators. 

The shift to 4G and 5G, where over 90% of Israel’s devices already operate, is likely to cause major disruptions to some of Israel's most vulnerable citizens. The fallout extends past calls. Data-driven gates will fail, requiring fixes, while medical devices on 2G/3G alert bands to Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah may stop working. 

In February 2022, the telecom giant AT&T pulled the plug and permanently shut down its old 3G network. The immediate effect was staggering: Although AT&T announced the move well in advance, and repeatedly notified all owners of old mobile phones, hundreds of thousands of elderly people, low-income individuals, and residents of remote rural areas were suddenly cut off from direct communication with the world. They discovered that their basic phones simply stopped making and receiving calls, including essential calls to the police and emergency services.

But it wasn't just the phones stopped working. Many other devices were affected - those that use SIM cards for communication also stopped working: emergency buttons in homes, elevators, and cars, vending machines, electricity, gas, and water meters, home security systems, electronic monitoring bracelets for prisoners, electric gates, and devices for tracking stolen cars. In Arizona, Florida, and New Jersey, ATMs were disabled. Isolated seniors, whose medical alert devices allow them to summon help at the push of a button, were put at real risk.

This scenario has repeated itself with varying intensity in more than 60 countries worldwide that have already implemented similar moves, and it could also materialize in Israel in just eight months - at midnight on December 31st, 2025.

Israel's Communications Ministry says that it’s on track: “This multi-year shift aligns globally. Most devices are 4G/5G-ready, and we’re working with providers to upgrade the rest by December.” 

If you have concerns about whether your phones and devices are compatible, you are advised to check with your service providers. Here is the information that they have provided:

Pelephone
Cellcom
Partner
Hot Mobile
Viacom
Telzer 019
Rami Levy  
Lev Anatel   
Xphone