3G shutdown in Poland and SMS: keeping notifications and your number alive
Polish carriers are finishing the 3G sunset, refarming the band for faster 4G/5G. For an everyday smartphone user the change is nearly invisible. But for companies that rely on terminals, M2M modems, alarm systems and voice gateways — it is a real risk of losing connectivity. Here is how to protect yourself, and why SMS API is the safest choice.
Why carriers are switching off 3G
3G (UMTS) is a technology from the early 2000s. It occupies valuable spectrum that, once refarmed, serves many times more data on 4G LTE and 5G. Every major Polish carrier has announced a UMTS sunset schedule — part of the 2100 MHz and 900 MHz bands moves to LTE/5G. 2G (GSM), by contrast, is being kept far longer, precisely because of millions of M2M devices and the SMS channel.
What it means for your business
If you use devices that connect over 3G — payment terminals, telemetry modems, alarm systems, meters — they may lose connectivity after the UMTS shutdown unless they support 2G fallback or LTE. The most common effects are: interrupted notifications, missing telemetry reports, false loss-of-signal alarms.
- Check whether devices support LTE Cat-M / NB-IoT or 2G fallback.
- Inventory all M2M SIM cards and their technology.
- Plan to migrate critical notifications to a channel independent of 3G.
SMS works independently of 3G
Here is the good news: SMS does not need 3G. Text messages travel over the network signaling channel and work on both 2G and 4G/5G (VoLTE). The UMTS shutdown does not affect SMS deliverability. That is why companies migrating away from 3G-data notifications increasingly choose SMS as their critical channel — simple, universal and resistant to radio-technology changes.
You will send your first SMS through our open REST API in minutes — see the documentation, and create an account with 100 free SMS on the sign-up page.
How to keep your number during migration
If you are modernizing telecom infrastructure anyway, you keep your phone number thanks to number portability (MNP). As a UKE-registered carrier, ACTIO handles number porting and migration to modern VoIP telephony, where SMS and calls run from a single number — independent of the bands being sunset.
A 4-step action plan
- Audit — list every device and SIM that depends on 3G.
- Backup channel — switch on SMS notifications for critical events.
- Migration — replace modems without LTE/2G fallback.
- Number — keep your number via MNP and consolidate voice and SMS on one platform.
FAQ
Will SMS stop working after the 3G shutdown?+
No. SMS works on 2G and 4G/5G (VoLTE) regardless of UMTS. The 3G shutdown does not affect text-message deliverability.
My M2M device connects over 3G — what should I do?+
Check whether it supports 2G fallback or LTE Cat-M/NB-IoT. If not, plan a modem replacement and consider SMS for critical notifications, as it is resistant to band changes.
Will I keep my number during migration?+
Yes. Number portability (MNP) lets you keep your number with a new carrier. ACTIO handles the process together with the VoIP migration.