2G and 3G switch-off dates in Ireland, and which IoT devices are exposed
Eir is retiring 3G in phases from 1 October 2026, and ComReg says Vodafone Ireland switched its 3G network off in October 2024. This guide lists what each Irish operator and ComReg have published, marks every date nobody has confirmed, and shows which kinds of IoT device are exposed.
Switch-off dates by operator in Ireland
Last checked: 3 October 2026. Each date comes from an operator or ComReg page read on that day. Where no page gives a date, the table says “not confirmed”. Our gate, alarm and intercom guide covers the same switch-off in less detail; this page adds the operator dates and a device-by-device table.
| Operator | 3G | 2G |
|---|---|---|
| Eir (GoMo and Lyca Mobile use its network) [1] | Switch-off from 1 October 2026, in phases [1][2][3]. Regional dates are below. | Not confirmed. Eir says calls and texts from old 3G SIMs and devices move onto the 2G network, but quality may vary. Its page gives no 2G end date [3]. |
| Vodafone Ireland (Clear Mobile and An Post Mobile use its network) [1] | Switched off. ComReg says Vodafone switched off its 3G network in October 2024 [1], and its 4 October 2024 notice describes the final phases starting that month [4]. Vodafone says it phased 3G out from February 2023 and has now switched it off across Ireland [5]. | Not confirmed. Vodafone says its 2G network provides core voice coverage and that it is continuing to invest in and maintain it [5]. |
| Three Ireland | Not confirmed. Its technologies page describes 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G in general terms and gives no retirement date for any of them [6]. ComReg's 3G page names no Three date [1]. | Not confirmed [6]. |
Eir's regional dates
- 1 October: Donegal (shown as already retired when we checked).
- 14 October: north, west and east, excluding the east coast.
- 21 October: Dublin, Meath and Louth.
- 28 October: southern counties, after which Eir lists all 3G services as switched off [3].
The same Eir page also says the phased switch-off runs until 6 November, so allow for that if you are close to a date [3]. ComReg describes a programme running over a number of weeks, starting with Donegal [1]. Eir words every entry as “retired”, including dates that were still ahead when we checked, so read the list as a schedule. Check your own county on Eir's page rather than relying on this summary.
What ComReg expects of operators
ComReg's 2024 guidance to mobile operators (information notice 24/61, 30 July 2024) matters to anyone who owns remote equipment [7].
- Licence conditions require an operator to tell ComReg at least six months before closing a network. ComReg treats six months as a minimum, so a 2G closure should be notified at least that far ahead.
- Operators should work out which of their SIMs sit in machine-to-machine devices that will stop working, and contact the owners. ComReg adds that owners may not know they need to act.
- At the time of writing, ComReg recorded that no network had notified it of a 2G withdrawal. In a passage about older in-car emergency-call equipment it also said it expected Irish operators to keep a 2G network for some years. Both statements date from July 2024, so treat them as history rather than today's position.
The notice also says some IoT devices use a built-in SIM tied to a home network outside Ireland, which can make the subscriber's phone number harder to obtain [7]. If your equipment came with a SIM you did not buy, find out whose it is.
Which IoT devices are exposed
The radio inside the device decides, not its age or brand. A device that depends entirely on 3G loses service when 3G closes in its area. For devices that also have 2G, ComReg says calls continue over 2G but data services will be affected and much slower [1]. Eir says 3G data services stop working and that calls and texts move to 2G, where quality may vary [3]. The two descriptions differ on data, so test the device rather than assume. The table sets out what the pages we read say, and what to check.
| Device | What the sources say | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Alarm dialers and communicators | ComReg lists security alarms, fire alarms and monitored care alarms as devices that may be affected [1]. Eir says some alarms, trackers, medical devices or cars that use an Eir SIM and depend entirely on 3G will need to be updated, where possible, or replaced, and to check with the provider [3]. | The radio list in the installation manual. As an example, the DSC 3G4010 manual (V4.0) says the unit communicates over 3G (HSPA) or 2G (GPRS) and lists no 4G radio [24]. Ask your monitoring company before changing anything. |
| Trackers | ComReg lists GPS trackers and inventory trackers, and says some vehicles use 3G networks for updates and remote communication [1]. Teltonika's July 2022 announcement presents the FMC920 (4G Cat 1) and FMM920 (4G Cat M1) as adding 4G, with 2G (GSM) fallback, to the feature set of the earlier FMB920 [22]. | The exact model code and hardware revision. Trackers in one family can differ in radio, so the name alone is not enough. |
| Smart meters | ESB Networks says some meters use only 2G, some use 2G or narrow-band 4G for the Internet of Things, none use 5G, and a meter's technology does not change once installed [8]. ComReg's 2024 notice says many IoT devices in Ireland do not support 4G or 5G, and that these could include smart electricity meters [7]. | Questions about a specific meter go to ESB Networks or your supplier. A 2G-only meter is not hit by a 3G switch-off, and no Irish 2G date is confirmed above. |
| Payment terminals | ComReg lists point-of-sale card payment terminals [1]. | The terminal's connectivity specification and your payment provider's notices. |
| EV chargers | The ComReg and Eir pages we read do not name EV chargers. ABB's manual for its EVLunic Pro M calls the cellular option a “GSM module” on certain variants and points to the installation manual for radio data [25]. | The charger's data sheet. The word “GSM” alone does not tell you the generation. |
| Solar loggers | The ComReg and Eir pages do not name solar loggers either. Victron's GX LTE 4G manual (rev 04, 09/2024) lists 2G, 3G and 4G support and a Mini-SIM [23]. | The modem's radio list and SIM size. |
| Lifts | SafeLine, a lift telephone maker, wrote its article for UK lift companies, so treat it as background rather than Irish guidance. It says older 2G GSM equipment is on a separate phase-out timeline run by mobile operators, and describes EN 81-28 as requiring a two-way voice connection at all times, including an automatic test call at least every 72 hours [21]. | Your lift maintenance contractor, the radio in the lift telephone and the last test-call record. |
Automated gates and intercoms are covered in the existing guide. ComReg lists automated electric gates too [1].
Reading a data sheet
- Look for the radio list: 2G, GSM, GPRS or EDGE; 3G, UMTS, HSPA or WCDMA; 4G, LTE, Cat-1, Cat-M or NB-IoT.
- Treat a bare “GSM” as a prompt to look further. One manual we read (ABB's EV charger manual) uses it for the cellular option in general [25].
- Check the SIM format and settings separately. See APN setup and replacing the SIM.
What a SIM can and cannot change
A SIM cannot add a radio the device lacks. A 3G-only unit needs a 4G version, whichever SIM it holds. Where the device does have a 4G radio, the choice of SIM affects how exposed it is to one operator's decisions. SimFalcon supplies managed multi-network IoT SIMs for gates, alarms, CCTV, telecare, solar monitoring, EV chargers and lift alarms, with published prices billed annually [26]. See alarm SIMs, lift SIMs and pricing, or check the coverage page.
A short audit routine
- List every device that holds a SIM, including ones you did not install.
- Record the model, the radio list from the manual, the SIM's network and who supplied the SIM.
- Sort by radio: 3G-only first, then 2G-only, then anything with 4G.
- Test by function, not signal bars: send an alarm test, make a test call to the gate, or confirm the portal shows a fresh reading.
- Use Eir's regional dates to order visits, and re-check the sources below before each one.
- Write the result and the date on the service record. If a device drops out afterwards, try weak or no network and SIM not connecting.
Sources
- [1] ComReg, 3G Retirement, checked 3 October 2026.
- [2] ComReg, Eir 3G switch-off from October (20 August 2026), checked 3 October 2026.
- [3] Eir, 3G switch-off, checked 3 October 2026.
- [4] ComReg, Final phases of Vodafone 3G Switch-Off from October (4 October 2024), checked 3 October 2026.
- [5] Vodafone Ireland, 3G Upgrade, checked 3 October 2026.
- [6] Three Ireland, Mobile Services Technology, checked 3 October 2026.
- [7] ComReg, 2G/3G Switch off: Guidance for Mobile Network Operators, Information Notice ComReg 24/61 (30 July 2024), checked 3 October 2026.
- [8] ESB Networks, Technology (smart meters), checked 3 October 2026.
- [21] SafeLine Orion, The PSTN switch-off is confirmed. Is your lift telephone ready?, checked 3 October 2026.
- [22] Teltonika Telematics, FMC920 and FMM920: new vehicle GPS trackers with 4G network (11 July 2022), checked 3 October 2026.
- [23] Victron Energy, GX LTE 4G manual, rev 04 (09/2024), checked 3 October 2026.
- [24] DSC (Johnson Controls), 3G4010 3G (HSPA) Cellular Alarm Communicator, Installation Manual V4.0, checked 3 October 2026.
- [25] ABB, EVLunic Pro M charging station, configuration manual V1.02 (2019), checked 3 October 2026.
- [26] SimFalcon, SimFalcon Ireland (home page), checked 3 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When does Eir switch off 3G?
Eir is retiring 3G in phases from 1 October 2026. Its page lists Donegal on 1 October and the southern counties on 28 October, and also says the phased switch-off runs until 6 November.
Has Three Ireland announced a 3G date?
Not that we could confirm. Three Ireland's technologies page gives no retirement date and ComReg's 3G page names none, so check with Three if your SIM is on its network.
Is 2G being switched off in Ireland?
No Irish 2G date is confirmed on the operator and ComReg pages we read. Vodafone Ireland says it is continuing to invest in and maintain its 2G network, and Eir says calls and texts from old 3G SIMs and devices move onto 2G.
Are smart meters affected?
ESB Networks says some of its meters use only 2G and others can use 2G or narrow-band 4G, and that a meter's technology does not change once installed. A 2G-only meter is not affected by a 3G switch-off.
Do EV chargers and solar loggers need replacing?
Not necessarily. The ComReg and Eir pages we read do not name them, so check the radio list in the data sheet. Equipment that depends entirely on 3G loses service when 3G closes in its area.
Questions about connectivity for your equipment? Talk to SimFalcon or ask Engineer Support.