While most Japanese users have advanced handsets capable of surfing the Internet, watching TV and other high-end applications, tons of U.S. users are still trying to wean themselves off of 1G networks. A report said for the first time ever no new 2G phones were shipped to Japanese stores in January, signaling that the country will only sell the most advanced handsets going forward, reports AFP. The milestone puts into perspective how far the U.S. still has to go—it was only last month that U.S. carriers were given the green light to turn off the very first analog networks launched 24 years ago.

The report, distributed by Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association, found that of the 4.08 million cellphones sent to stores in Japan, zero were 2G. Japan is now the second country, following South Korea, to be finished with the technology, according to Nomura Research. So, when no 2G phones were being shipped to stores, and nearly 85 percent of the Japanese had a 3G phone, there was still about one million mobile phones and other devices using analog networks in the U.S.

Still, it is possible the U.S. isn’t that far behind. AFP also reported that about half of the North American phones are either 3G or 2.5G, like the iPhone (and obviously the iPhone’s speed isn’t preventing users from consuming content). Change could come quickly. Without the 1G networks draining carrier resources or tying up spectrum, new services may roll out more quickly. 

• US Analog Networks To Shut Down In 2008