3G Modem PCB Guide: Migration to 5G RedCap & VoLTE

The market for 3G modem PCBs is currently undergoing a massive transition as global carriers finalize the retirement of legacy 3G networks throughout 2025 and 2026. This shift is re-farming spectrum for 5G and LTE, rendering 3G-only hardware obsolete in many regions, including Canada and parts of Europe/Asia.

Key trends include the rise of 5G RedCap (Reduced Capacity) as the primary successor for industrial and mid-tier applications, offering lower power consumption and reduced PCB complexity. Additionally, the industry is moving toward iSIM/eSIM integration, which eliminates physical SIM slots to save board space. For any voice-capable designs, VoLTE (Voice over LTE) support is now a mandatory hardware requirement to prevent loss of functionality.

The detailed report below includes global shutdown schedules, technical design shifts, and a curated list of current 4G/5G module options.