IoT connectivity in Iceland
Updated
In Iceland, 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, 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova | 2G | Switched off | December 2024 | island.is, island.is Regulator listed Nova closing 2G at end-2024; in Oct 2025 it confirmed Nova and Sýn had completed their 2G phase-out. Exact completion date not stated (Wireless Logic says January 2025). |
| Nova | 3G | Switched off | May 2026 | island.is, syn.is Regulator said in Dec 2025 that Nova had wholly or largely finished; last 3G sites nationwide went off April-May 2026. Sýn's page states all operators have closed 3G. |
| Síminn | 2G | Switched off | 2026 | syn.is, island.is Missed the coordinated 31 Dec 2025 deadline; regulator extended its 900 MHz licence to 30 Jun 2026 for the ongoing 2G/3G phase-out. Sýn's page states all Icelandic operators have now closed 2G and 3G. Exact Síminn 2G completion date not found. |
| Síminn | 3G | Switched off | May 2026 | siminn.is, island.is Regulator: final 3G closures started in the capital area on 8 April 2026, then all rural 3G in May 2026. Síminn states it has shut down 3G nationwide. |
| Sýn (ex Vodafone Iceland) | 2G | Switched off | 2025 | syn.is, island.is Planned for mid-2025 under the Vodafone brand (regulator, Sep 2024); regulator confirmed completion by Oct 2025. Sýn states 2G is closed nationwide. |
| Sýn (ex Vodafone Iceland) | 3G | Switched off | May 2026 | syn.is, island.is Sýn states 3G is closed nationwide. Regulator said in Dec 2025 that Sýn had wholly or largely finished; final national 3G switch-off by all operators took place April-May 2026. |
What it means for IoT devices in Iceland
- Do not deploy 2G-only devices: every operator with a known status has switched 2G off.
- 3G is already gone on 3 networks: devices that fall back to 3G will lose service there.
- Private delivery works the same from Iceland: 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 Iceland?
Iceland 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 Iceland?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. Nova: switched off (2024-12); Síminn: switched off (2026); Sýn (ex Vodafone Iceland): switched off (2025).
When is 3G switched off in Iceland?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. Nova: switched off (2026-05); Síminn: switched off (2026-05); Sýn (ex Vodafone Iceland): switched off (2026-05).