Sample Files
Details
3G2
Third Generation Partnership Project
About
What is .3G2?
3G2 is a mobile-oriented multimedia container format designed for CDMA-based devices. It stores video, audio, and text streams in a compact structure optimized for low-bandwidth environments and efficient playback on older or resource-limited mobile hardware.
History
Origin of 3G2
3G2 is a multimedia container format developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) for use with CDMA-based mobile devices. It is closely related to the 3GP format developed by 3GPP, but includes additional support for codecs and features tailored to CDMA networks. Like 3GP, the 3G2 container is based on the MPEG-4 Part 14 (MP4) structure and was optimized for low storage usage, reduced bandwidth consumption, and compatibility with early mobile phones and MMS messaging systems.
Learn more at: https://www.3gpp2.org
Benefits
Optimized for CDMA mobile networks
Very small file sizes suitable for MMS
Low-bandwidth streaming compatibility
Based on the efficient MP4 container structure
Supports legacy audio codecs not available in 3GP
Usage
Test playback behavior on older CDMA mobile devices
Convert 3G2 files to MP4 for modern compatibility using FFmpeg
Evaluate low-bitrate encoding performance
Use in QA testing for legacy wireless applications
Use Cases
Common Use Cases
Here are the use cases for this file extension
Mobile Video Recording (CDMA Phones)
Older CDMA-based phones—including many early Verizon and Sprint devices—record video in 3G2 format.
MMS Messaging
Widely used in multimedia messaging applications due to its compact size.
Legacy Media Pipeline Testing
Useful for verifying compatibility with older mobile systems and transcoding workflows.
Compatibility
Supported By
This extension is compatible with the following platforms.
Windows
macOS
Linux
Android (limited)
iOS (requires conversion)
Web Browsers (conversion required)
More Details
Technical Specs
Here are some technical details about this extension
File Extension
.3g2
MIME Type
video/3gpp2
Container Format
3G2 (based on MPEG-4 Part 14)
Audio Support
AMR-NB, EVRC, QCELP, AAC-LC
Video Codecs
H.263, MPEG-4 Part 2, H.264
Subtitle Support
Limited
Metadata Support
Yes
Typical Use
Mobile video recording, MMS, low-bandwidth streaming
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Got Questions?
Get answers to common questions
3G2 files can be played using tools like VLC Media Player, QuickTime, and various mobile video players. Web browsers generally require converting 3G2 to a more common format such as MP4.