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Orange will permanently shut down the 2G mobile network on September 29 in Saint Barthélemy. The 3G network will be phased out in 2028.
A small cell phone whose flip cover snaps shut after sending a text message or ending a call. The device still works but belongs to a bygone era. What’s more, in a few days, it will no longer be of any use—mainly because it operates only on the 2G network. However, the 2G network will be permanently shut down on September 29 in Saint-Barthélemy and across nearly all of French territory. Only Mayotte will continue to have access to the technology until the end of the year. This phase-out has been announced and planned by Orange for years.
“2G has served our territories well,” recalls Chantal Maurice, Orange’s regional representative. “It arrived in the French West Indies and French Guiana in 1996 and was the main backbone of mobile telephony for years. But today, it no longer meets our needs. ” By shutting down the 2G network (3G will be phased out by the end of 2028), Orange is joining a global trend led by many operators. “The goal is to focus on 4G and 5G,” explains Chantal Maurice.
A three-phase phase-out
By 2026, only a small number of Orange customers will still be using 2G. “Two to three percent at the start of the year—most customers use smartphones,” says the Orange regional representative. In Saint-Barthélemy, the communication campaign announcing the network shutdown was launched as early as 2022—via mail, text message, and other channels. “We remained vigilant toward those who were still using 2G,” says Chantal Maurice.
In the French West Indies, the 2G shutdown took place in three phases. The first phase occurred in April, with the shutdown of service in three municipalities in Guadeloupe (Lamentin, Abymes, Baie-Mahault); the second in May in Martinique (Le Lamentin), Saint Martin (Peatree Hill, Rambaud, and Marigot), and Saint Barth (Cul-de-Sac, Quatre Vents, and Colombier), and the third phase, which will take place on September 29 with a complete shutdown. “To date, we haven’t received any reports of problems,” says Chantal Maurice. “The good news is that most people have already switched to the new technologies.”
Freeing Up Space
Technically, the process is quite simple. “2G is an old network that’s rarely used,” explains the Orange regional representative. “But it occupies spectrum, which isn’t expandable, and it consumes energy. So, it will simply be shut down. And the freed-up spectrum can be reallocated to other frequencies. Keep in mind that the new networks consume much less energy. This will help reduce our energy footprint, which is a major issue.”
For the few people who still use a device that operates exclusively on 2G, it will therefore be urgent to get a new phone. But they’ll need to visit an Orange store to swap out their SIM card. “This swap is free in-store,” notes Chantal Maurice.
For businesses that haven’t done so yet, it will be essential to identify all equipment that operates on 2G. “There are still quite a few,” notes the regional director of Orange, citing remote alarms, security systems, video surveillance, and payment terminals… “If businesses have any doubts, they simply need to contact their installer, who can advise them on the steps to take,” adds Chantal Maurice. “To avoid any surprises, we encourage everyone to find out more right away.”
According to data from Arcep (the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications, Postal Services, and Press Distribution) included in a July 2026 report, the number of active SIM cards in Saint Barthélemy ranged between 12,000 and 15,000 in 2025.
T.F.
