IoT connectivity in Austria
Updated
In Austria, permanent roaming is governed by the EU roaming regulation, which generally allows it under wholesale agreements between operators. Of the 3 mobile operators we track there, 0 have switched off 2G and 3 3G, as of 26 October 2026. Sources are listed below each table.
Permanent roaming
EU/EEA rule. M2M falls within the EU Roaming Regulation, which leaves permanent roaming for M2M to commercial wholesale agreements that may include clauses against it; BEREC concluded in March 2025 that no further regulation was needed, and most member states permit it, Belgium being the main exception.
Sources: berec.europa.eu, berec.europa.eu, cullen-international.com.
2G and 3G shutdowns by operator
| Operator | Network | Status | Date | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 2G | Planned | 31 May 2028 | a1.net, rtr.at A1 plans to switch off 2G/GSM nationwide on 31 May 2028; afterwards only 4G and 5G. RTR: first Austrian 2G shutdowns could happen from 2028. |
| A1 | 3G | Switched off | 3 June 2025 | newsroom.a1.net, rtr.at Regional phase-out; Vienna, Lower Austria, Vorarlberg and Burgenland first, then Upper Austria, Styria, Carinthia and East Tyrol on 3 Jun 2025. RTR confirms all Austrian operators had switched off 3G by mid-2025. |
| Drei | 2G | No plan announced | none | drei.at, korewireless.com No end date announced. The operator presents 2G as the fallback layer for older devices; Kore lists no specific 2G planning. The regulator RTR says the first Austrian 2G shutdowns could come from 2028, without naming operators. |
| Drei | 3G | Switched off | 2025 | drei.at, rtr.at Gradual regional switch-off from Q1 2024; RTR confirms all Austrian operators had switched off 3G by mid-2025. Exact completion date for Drei not found. emnify lists 31 Mar 2025; RTR says all 3G was off by mid-2025. |
| Magenta Telekom | 2G | No plan announced | none | magenta.at, korewireless.com No end date announced. The operator presents 2G as the fallback layer for older devices; Kore lists no specific 2G planning. The regulator RTR says the first Austrian 2G shutdowns could come from 2028, without naming operators. |
| Magenta Telekom | 3G | Switched off | 2024 | magenta.at, rtr.at Large-scale phased switch-off started 1 Jan 2024 and was done during 2024; RTR confirms no 3G network left in Austria by mid-2025. |
What it means for IoT devices in Austria
- 2G still runs on some networks, but plan new devices on 4G-based technologies (LTE Cat-1bis, LTE-M or NB-IoT where available): 2G is being closed across the region.
- 3G is already gone on 3 networks: devices that fall back to 3G will lose service there.
- Private delivery works the same from Austria: device data reaches your cloud over private links. See private delivery.
Other countries in Europe
Full tables: permanent roaming rules by country and 2G and 3G shutdown dates.
Frequently asked questions
Is permanent roaming allowed for IoT SIMs in Austria?
Austria applies the EU roaming regulation, which covers the EU and EEA. M2M falls within the EU Roaming Regulation, which leaves permanent roaming for M2M to commercial wholesale agreements that may include clauses against it; BEREC concluded in March 2025 that no further regulation was needed, and most member states permit it, Belgium being the main exception.
When is 2G switched off in Austria?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. A1: planned for 2028-05-31; Drei: no shutdown plan announced; Magenta Telekom: no shutdown plan announced.
When is 3G switched off in Austria?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. A1: switched off (2025-06-03); Drei: switched off (2025); Magenta Telekom: switched off (2024).