Dhaka, Nov. 6 -- The telecom regulator has set a target of shutting down 2G services in Bangladesh within three years, raising questions over millions of button phones.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) estimates that 61.3 million SIM subscribers use 2G handsets, most of which do not support Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE).

Operators say voice calls will run on VoLTE after the 2G sunset.

At a workshop with mobile operators and stakeholders in October, the BTRC presented a roadmap to end 2G by 2029.

It will approve no new 2G phone models after this December, bar their manufacture after Mar 31, 2027 and stop their sale after June 2027. Services are to end for subscribers by December 2029.

When 2G is s...