Three Ireland: 2G and 3G shutdown dates
Updated
Three Ireland has announced no date to switch off 2G and switched off 3G in 2024, according to the sources we checked on 26 October 2026. The table gives each source and how far we trust it; the rest of the page says what this means for IoT devices in Ireland.
2G and 3G status at Three Ireland
| Network | Status | Date | Confidence | Sources and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2G | No plan announced | none | low | korewireless.com Kore (May 2026) lists no specific 2G planning for Three Ireland (which runs the former O2 Ireland network). No Three or ComReg statement found. |
| 3G | Switched off | 2024 | low | irishexaminer.com Indirect: the Irish Examiner says Three carried out its 3G switch-off around the same time as Vodafone (October 2024). No Three or ComReg page with an exact date was found. Conflict: Kore (May 2026) still lists no specific 3G planning for Three; ComReg's 3G page does not mention Three. |
Confidence is high when the operator or the regulator states the date, medium when several independent sources agree, low otherwise. We recheck every month.
What it means for IoT devices on Three Ireland
- 2G keeps running for now. Three Ireland has announced no closing date, so 2G fallback still helps devices that roam in Ireland, but new designs should not depend on it.
- 3G fallback no longer works on Three Ireland. Devices built for 3G (UMTS) or that fall back to it lose service; 4G devices with 2G fallback are not affected by this closure.
- For new devices, choose 4G-based technologies: LTE Cat-1 bis, LTE-M or NB-IoT where the network offers them.
- Foreign SIMs in Ireland: permanent roaming is governed by the EU roaming regulation, which generally allows it under wholesale agreements between operators. Details on the Ireland page.
An M2M.global IoT SIM is not tied to a single network in a country, and its data can reach your cloud without the internet through private delivery.
Other operators in Ireland
| Operator | 2G | 3G |
|---|---|---|
| eir | Unclear | Planned, 6 November 2026 |
| Vodafone Ireland | No plan announced | Switched off, October 2024 |
All operators and both rules for Ireland: IoT connectivity in Ireland. Every country: 2G and 3G shutdown dates by country and operator.
Frequently asked questions
When does Three Ireland switch off 2G in Ireland?
Three Ireland has announced no date to switch off 2G, as of 26 October 2026. Kore (May 2026) lists no specific 2G planning for Three Ireland (which runs the former O2 Ireland network). No Three or ComReg statement found.
When did Three Ireland switch off 3G in Ireland?
Three Ireland switched off its 3G network in 2024. Indirect: the Irish Examiner says Three carried out its 3G switch-off around the same time as Vodafone (October 2024). No Three or ComReg page with an exact date was found. Conflict: Kore (May 2026) still lists no specific 3G planning for Three; ComReg's 3G page does not mention Three.