Rwanda switches off 3G on 30 June 2027: USSD services, payment terminals, meters and trackers must move to 4G

Rwanda switches off 3G on 30 June 2027: USSD services, payment terminals, meters and trackers must move to 4G

28 July 2026 — Rwanda's Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT) announced on 28 July 2026 that the government has approved a phased plan to retire the country's 2G and 3G mobile networks and complete the move to 4G and 5G. 3G services will be switched off nationwide on 30 June 2027. The government is working towards December 2028 for 2G, but says that date depends on how the 3G switch-off goes.

The ministry's reasons are practical: running four generations of mobile technology at once is costly, ties up radio spectrum and limits investment in newer networks. Freed spectrum goes to 4G and 5G.

The timetable

• During 2026: operators expand 4G coverage, confirm that Voice over LTE works reliably, including for emergency calls, identify services and devices that still depend on older networks, and begin moving them. They also run trial shutdowns in selected areas.
• First half of 2027: operators and service providers complete the migration of critical systems, notify customers, strengthen support and set up a joint team to handle problems during the transition.
• 30 June 2027: 3G switched off nationwide.
• December 2028 (target): 2G switched off, to be confirmed after a review of the 3G outcome.

The ministry says the government will go ahead with the 3G switch-off only once the necessary conditions are met. MINICT, the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) and the operators will monitor 4G coverage and call quality, VoLTE, the continuity of calls, SMS, mobile money and payments, the migration of services that still depend on USSD, 2G or 3G, and the replacement of connected equipment.

What the ministry asks of businesses

The announcement addresses businesses, government institutions and other organisations directly. They should identify any equipment or services that rely on 2G or 3G. The ministry names USSD services, card and payment terminals, utility meters, security systems, vehicle trackers and other connected devices. Each organisation should:

• assign someone to manage the transition;
• set aside the budget it needs;
• test replacement systems;
• confirm that its services will keep working before 30 June 2027.

The ministry says particular attention will go to mobile money, payments, utilities, transport, healthcare, public safety and government services. A working group led by MINICT and RURA includes operators, government institutions and the financial sector.

What to do

• Fintech, payments and mobile-money providers in Rwanda should list every USSD flow and terminal model in use and ask their operator in writing how each will work after 30 June 2027.
• Firms running fleets of connected devices (meters, trackers, alarms, point-of-sale terminals) should budget for replacement hardware or 4G modules now, since supply and installation take months.
• Software and IoT vendors selling into Rwanda should confirm their devices support 4G and VoLTE, and say so to customers.
• Treat 2G as the next deadline: plan the same migration for anything that still relies on it before December 2028.

Sources

• Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT), Rwanda: Rwanda to switch off 3G networks on 30 June 2027 — 28 July 2026