AVI to 3G2 Converter

AVI to 3G2 Converter

This tool re-encodes a Microsoft AVI video into .3g2, the 3GPP2 container built for CDMA2000 phones — the carrier-network twin of GSM's .3gp. The conversion exists for one narrow job: producing a file an actual CDMA-era device, MMS gateway, or embedded test harness will ingest. Be clear-eyed about why before you start: 3G2 was designed for a 3G CDMA network that has been shut down since the end of 2022, so almost everyone reaching for "AVI to a smaller, more compatible video" actually wants AVI to MP4 instead. 3G2 earns its place only when something on the other end specifically requires the CDMA variant.

AVI Format at a Glance

3G2 Format at a Glance

How to Convert AVI to 3G2

1. Upload Your AVI File: Drag and drop, or click "Add Files", to select one or more .avi videos. Batch is supported, so a folder of clips runs in a single job.
2. Pick the Video Codec: Open Advanced Options and set the Video Codec. The default is H.264, which holds the most detail at 3G2's low bitrates and is read by most post-2008 handsets; switch to H.263 or MPEG-4 only when targeting an older phone that predates H.264 support. The default audio codec is AMR, which every 3G2-capable device decodes.
3. Set Resolution and Quality Preset (Optional): Use Preset Resolutions or Width x Height to drop the frame size to something a phone screen expects (176x144 or 320x240 are typical), and use Quality Preset or Specific file size to fit an MMS or storage limit. The Trim panel keeps just one clip.
4. Convert and Download: Click Convert and download the .3g2. No sign-up, no watermark.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between .3g2 and .3gp?

Both are structurally based on the same ISO base media file format (ISO/IEC 14496-12, MPEG-4 Part 12), so they look nearly identical inside. The split is by network: .3gp is the 3GPP container for GSM/UMTS phones, while .3g2 is the 3GPP2 container for CDMA2000 phones — in the US, older Verizon and Sprint handsets. They share H.263, MPEG-4, H.264 video and AMR/AAC audio, but .3g2 adds CDMA speech codecs (QCELP, EVRC, SMV) and drops HE-AAC v2 and AMR-WB+. This page outputs the CDMA variant; if your target needs GSM, use AVI to 3GP instead.

Why convert AVI to 3G2 in 2026 instead of MP4?

Only when something on the receiving end specifically requires the CDMA container — an old Verizon or Sprint feature phone, an MMS gateway, or an embedded device or test harness that ingests .3g2. The 3G CDMA network 3G2 was built for has been retired since the end of 2022, so for any everyday use MP4 is smaller at equal quality and plays on essentially every current device. If that is what you actually want, AVI to MP4 is the right page. 3G2 is a compatibility target, not a quality or general-purpose one.

Which video and audio codecs does the 3G2 output use?

By default this converter writes H.264 video with AMR audio inside the 3G2 container, which suits CDMA handsets from roughly 2009 onward. For older phones you can switch the Video Codec to H.263 or MPEG-4 and keep audio on AMR Narrow Band; if the device supports it, you can also choose AAC. The 3G2 standard itself also defines CDMA-specific speech codecs such as QCELP, EVRC, and SMV, but H.264 plus AMR is the most broadly playable pairing this tool produces.

Will the 3G2 look worse than my original AVI?

Usually yes, and that is inherent to the format rather than a flaw in the conversion. 3G2 was built for low-bandwidth CDMA mobile delivery, so it uses small resolutions and low bitrates, and re-encoding into it discards detail to hit that tiny size. AVI sources are typically already compressed (DivX, Xvid, MJPEG), so converting to 3G2 adds a second generation of lossy compression on top of the first. You can soften the loss by keeping the resolution no smaller than the target device needs and leaving the Video Codec on H.264, but a 3G2 cannot match a full-resolution AVI.

What resolution should I pick for an old CDMA phone?

Match the handset. The two safe legacy sizes are 176x144 (QCIF) and 320x240 (QVGA); many early feature phones only decode H.263 at QCIF. Use Preset Resolutions or Width x Height in Advanced Options to set it. Going larger risks a file the phone can't open, while going smaller than the screen needs throws away quality for no benefit. In our testing, a one-minute 480p AVI re-encoded to 176x144 H.263 came out around a few hundred kilobytes — small enough for legacy MMS but visibly soft, which is exactly the format's design point.

Is 3G2 still worth using now that CDMA networks are gone?

For network delivery, no — Verizon shut down its 3G CDMA network on December 31, 2022, and Sprint's CDMA service ended earlier, so there is no live CDMA network to stream a .3g2 over. The format remains useful only offline: feeding a preserved handset for testing or display, satisfying an embedded device that hard-codes .3g2 ingest, or matching a legacy spec in an archival workflow. If your goal is instead to rescue old phone footage out of 3G2 into something modern, that is the far more common need — see 3G2 to MP4.

How are my files handled after conversion?

Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection and processed on our servers — no sign-up and no watermark. They are deleted automatically a few hours after conversion and are never shared or made public.