The short answer
2G trackers work in India today, and no operator has announced a date for switching 2G off. A 2G tracker is fine for a vehicle, where all it sends is location. Choose 4G for a device a person carries, or when you want to buy once and not think about it for 5 years.
"Will my 2G tracker stop working?" It's a sensible thing to ask before you spend ₹3,000, and you'll find plenty of sellers happy to answer it with "yes, so buy our 4G one".
We sell both. Our view is that the 2G scare is mostly a sales pitch, and that the honest answer depends on what you're tracking. A scooter and a 6-year-old aren't the same decision.
What 2G and 4G mean for a tracker
A GPS tracker does 2 jobs. It works out where it is using satellites. Then it sends that position to your phone over a mobile network. 2G and 4G describe the second job only.
The location itself comes from GPS, and it's just as accurate on a 2G tracker as on a 4G one. The network decides how the data travels. It has no say in how good the fix is.
Is 2G shutting down in India?
Here's what we know as of 6 October 2026.
- Jio has never run a 2G network. It launched in 2016 as 4G-only.
- Airtel, Vi (Vodafone Idea) and BSNL continue to offer 2G. As of mid-2024, India was estimated to have 250 to 300 million 2G users, according to TelecomTalk. Nobody publishes an exact count any more, because subscriber reports don't split users by 2G and 4G. What's certain is that it's in the hundreds of millions.
- The Department of Telecommunications has said it won't force a shutdown and will leave the decision to the operators.
- We haven't found an announced shutdown date from any Indian operator.
There's also a clue in what operators have already done. When Airtel wanted spectrum back for 4G, it was 3G that went. On 28 June 2019 it announced the shutdown of its 3G network in Kolkata, said it planned to re-farm all its 3G spectrum across India in phases, and in the same press release confirmed it would keep running 2G in the city for feature-phone customers. The newer network was retired and the older one stayed, because feature phones, card-swipe machines, electricity meters and a great many vehicle trackers still depend on 2G.
Hundreds of millions of users don't disappear overnight. No operator can switch off a network that size without long public notice, and when one does move, there's every reason to expect years of warning rather than weeks.
So "2G is ending, buy 4G or your tracker will die" isn't accurate today. It may become true at some point. Nobody can tell you when, and anyone who gives you a year is guessing.
2G vs 4G trackers compared
| 2G tracker | 4G tracker | |
|---|---|---|
| Location accuracy | Same | Same |
| Live tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Data speed | Slow, but enough for location | Fast |
| Coverage in rural areas and highways | Wide | Good, still growing in remote areas |
| Device price | Lower | Higher |
| Long-term future | Depends on operators | Secure for many years |
When a 2G tracker makes sense
A vehicle tracker sends tiny packets of data: latitude, longitude, speed, ignition status. That's a text message's worth of data, nowhere near a video call's. 2G carries it comfortably.
- It costs less. The TWM Wired GPS Tracker is ₹3,000 with the first year included.
- 2G reaches far. On a long highway run, say Jaipur to Jodhpur, or in a small town, 2G signal is often there when 4G drops.
- It does the job. Live location, geofence alerts, towing alerts and engine cut-off all work on 2G.
Our wired, OBD (₹4,899) and car-charger (₹3,199) trackers are 2G for these reasons. We could sell you 4G versions for more. For a parked car, we don't think you'd get anything for the extra money.
When you should choose 4G
The sums change when a person is on the other end.
- Someone depends on it in an emergency. Our 4G ID Card GPS Tracker (₹4,949) has an SOS button and two-way calling. A device a child or a parent relies on should sit on the network with the longest future. This is the one place we wouldn't try to save money.
- It's for a person or a pet. These devices move through buildings, basements and crowds. The TWM Pet Tracker (₹4,799) uses 4G.
- You want to buy once and forget. If you plan to keep the device for 5 years or more, 4G takes the question off the table.
Questions to ask any seller
- Which network does this tracker use: 2G, 4G, or 4G with 2G fallback?
- Which operator's SIM is inside?
- If that operator withdraws 2G in my area, what will you do for me?
- Is there an upgrade or exchange option?
Questions 2 and 3 deserve our own answers. Our trackers carry an Airtel or a Vi SIM. As for question 3, a 2G tracker can't be upgraded to 4G. If 2G were withdrawn where you live, the device would stop reporting and you'd need a 4G replacement. We don't expect that to happen for years, for the reasons above, but we'd rather tell you now than after you've paid. A seller who can't answer the question at all hasn't thought about it.
Our recommendation
| You are tracking | Go with |
|---|---|
| A car, bike or scooter, mainly against theft | 2G wired tracker |
| A family car, no installation | 2G OBD or car-charger tracker |
| A school-going child | 4G ID card tracker |
| An elderly parent | 4G ID card tracker |
| A pet | 4G pet tracker |
Still choosing between tracker types? See wired vs OBD vs magnetic vs car-charger. For running costs, see GPS tracker charges in India.
Frequently asked questions
Will my 2G GPS tracker stop working in 2027?
There's no announced date for a 2G shutdown in India. Airtel, Vi and BSNL still run 2G networks, and the government has left the decision to operators.
Does a Jio SIM work in a 2G tracker?
No. Jio's network is 4G and above, so a 2G-only device can't connect to it. 2G trackers use SIMs from operators that run 2G.
Is a 4G tracker more accurate than a 2G tracker?
No. Accuracy comes from the GPS chip and a clear view of the sky. The mobile network only carries the data to your phone.
Is 4G worth the extra money for a bike?
For theft protection on a bike, a hidden 2G wired tracker does the job at a lower price. Spend the difference on a good disc lock. You'll get more out of it.
How do I know which network my tracker uses?
It's on the product page and on the box. TWM product names and descriptions state 2G or 4G.
