3G shutdown in Switzerland: Secure your new payment terminal before the outage
Sunrise already did it in June, and by the end of 2025, Swisscom will follow: The 3G network will be shut down nationwide in Switzerland. This may also impact your payment reception if you are still using an old terminal based on 3G. In the following article, you will learn the reasons for the shutdown, its consequences, and the steps you need to take to protect your business against failures.
Sheila
Matti
Almost 20 years ago, the 3G network ushered in the age of mobile internet. Today, however, this once pioneering mobile generation is considered outdated and has been replaced by the more powerful 4G and 5G networks. According to Swisscom, only 1.1 percent of mobile data traffic today runs over 3G, but at the same time, the outdated network still occupies a good 9 percent of the antenna capacity. And this is limited.
To create capacity, 3G will be shut down nationwide at the end of the year. Although Salt has not yet announced a date, Sunrise already took the step in June 2025 and Swisscom will follow by the end of 2025. As of 31.12.2025, many old EC devices still based on 3G will no longer function. This affects not only smartphones and tablets but also Kartenlesegeräte.
Your company could also be affected by this step. Especially if your POS terminal has been in use for a while, you should check whether it will still be operational in the future. If not, you need to promptly arrange for a replacement device, otherwise, you risk a payment failure and corresponding loss of sales. But don't worry – Payrexx will help you with that!
How do you know if you are affected by the 3G shutdown?
First things first: Only those devices linked to the mobile network are affected – that is, those with an integrated SIM card. If your Kartenlesegerät, however, runs purely over the WLAN network or another connection, it does not need to be replaced. Nevertheless, a change might be advisable here too, since older devices are usually no longer updated by the manufacturer and may have security vulnerabilities.
You can check if your current Kartenlesegerät (with SIM card) is based on the 3G network using the following points:
Überprüfe die Netzanzeige auf Deinem Gerät: Wie auch beim Handy wird diese meist oben rechts in der Ecke des Bildschirms angezeigt. Steht hier ständig 4G, LTE oder 5G ist Dein Terminal nicht betroffen.
Überprüfe die Netzwerkeinstellungen Deines Geräts: Standardmässig finden sich diese in den Einstellungen unter Menüpunkten wie “Verbindungen” oder “Mobile Netzwerke”. Hier sollte ersichtlich sein, ob Dein Gerät 3G, 4G oder 5G nutzt.
Schau auf der Rückseite Deines Geräts nach: Bei den allermeisten Geräten findest Du hier einen Sticker, auf dem – neben anderen Informationen, wie etwa der Seriennummer und dem Strichcode – auch das Netz angegeben ist. Achtung, genau hinschauen! Oft ist der Text nämlich sehr klein geschrieben.
Frage Deinen Hersteller oder schau auf dessen Webseite nach. Die meisten Terminal-Anbieter haben klar kommuniziert, welche ihrer Geräte künftig nicht mehr funktionieren. Und falls Du diese Information nicht auf Anhieb findest, bietet sich eine Supportanfrage oder ein Telefonanruf an.
Dank der integrierten SIM-Karte laufen die POS-Geräte überall, reibungslos, via 4G-Netzwerk.
What should you do if your device is affected?
If your current Kartenlesegerät uses the 3G network, act quickly! If you do not replace the device by the end of 2025, you risk a payment failure by 2026. Your device will simply no longer function and cannot process payments. Therefore, make sure to arrange for a new device in a timely manner.
If your current terminal is a rental device, you should return it to the provider as soon as possible. Otherwise, you risk that they eventually refuse the return, and you will bear unnecessary costs. Depending on the provider, the delivery may also be delayed. Therefore, you should order as early as possible to ensure that the new device arrives on time.
All these are inconveniences that you avoid with Payrexx. If you order your POS terminal from the leading Swiss payment provider for SMEs, it will arrive fully operational within a few business days. You simply need to turn it on and can immediately accept payments securely and reliably over the powerful 4G network.
Currently, you can also benefit from the exclusive introductory price: You only pay 9 instead of 25 EUR per month for your POS terminal!
What should you do if your device is affected?
As the leading Swiss payment provider for SMEs, Payrexx has made it its mission to simplify transactions for companies of all sizes - whether online or on-site. The Payrexx Nexgo POS terminals are not only powerful and reliable in processing payments, but they are also easy to handle and order.
With Payrexx, you can order a new device in just 3 steps:
Erstelle ein Payrexx-Konto: Registriere Dich oder Dein Unternehmen bei Payrexx, schliesse den Verifikationsprozess ab und erwirb das Standard-Abonnement.
Bestelle Dein POS-Terminal: Wähle in Deinem Payrexx-Konto Dein neues Terminal aus und gib alle für die Bestellung nötigen Angaben an.
Erhalte Dein Gerät: Innert maximal 10 Arbeitstagen trifft Dein Gerät komplett betriebsbereit bei Dir ein. Und schon kannst Du Zahlungen empfangen.
With Payrexx, you get more than just a Kartenlesegerät: The all-in-one solution includes a range of useful e-commerce tools that optimize your online presence. For instance, you can generate donation forms, create simple webshops, or send invoices via payment link - all included in your Payrexx account, with no hidden additional costs.
Comerciantes on-site benefit from the Payrexx Power Package: In addition to POS terminals, payments can also be accepted via QR code or with Tap to Pay. The latter app turns your smartphone into a Kartenlesegerät and thus offers you maximum flexibility. This way, you can accept payments no matter where, when, how, and under any conditions: the perfect solution for every situation.
Das Payrexx Power Paket: Tap to Pay, Payrexx POS-Terminals und Payrexx QR Pay.
