Back 2G Afrikaans جيل ثان (شبكات اتصال) Arabic Telefonía móvil 2G AST 2G BE-X-OLD 2G Bulgarian ২জি Bengali/Bangla 2G Catalan 2G Czech Telefonía móvil 2G Spanish 2G Estonian
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2G refers to the second-generation of cellular network technology, which were rolled out globally starting in the early 1990s. The main differentiator to previous mobile telephone systems, retrospectively dubbed 1G, is that the radio signals of 2G networks are digital rather than analog, for communication between mobile devices and base stations. In addition to voice telephony, 2G also made possible the use of data services.
The most common 2G technology has been the GSM standard, which became the first globally adopted framework for mobile communications. Other 2G technologies include cdmaOne and the now-discontinued Digital AMPS (D-AMPS/TDMA),[1] as well the Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) and Personal Handy-phone System (PHS) in Japan.
The transition to digital technology enabled the implementation of encryption for voice calls and data transmission, significantly improving the security of mobile communications while also increasing capacity and efficiency compared to earlier analog systems. 2G networks were primarily designed to support voice calls and Short Message Service (SMS), with later advancements such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) enabling always-on packet data services, including email and limited internet access. 2G was succeeded by 3G technology, which provided higher data transfer rates and expanded mobile internet capabilities.
- ^ "2G Sunset Brings Faster Speeds, Newer Technologies". 16 January 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2023.