IoT connectivity in Portugal
Updated
In Portugal, 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 2 3G; the status of 1 network is still unclear, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEO | 2G | No plan announced | none | eco.sapo.pt, iot.cards MEO (Altice Portugal) kept 2G for voice when it closed 3G; no 2G end date found. A 2026 IoT tracker lists no date for Portuguese operators. |
| MEO | 3G | Switched off | 31 January 2024 | apdc.pt, eco.sapo.pt Regional phase-out from 4 Sep 2023; completed nationwide on 31 Jan 2024 (per ANACOM data reported by APDC). 2G retained for voice. |
| NOS | 2G | No plan announced | none | iot.cards Only an IoT tracker (Aug 2026) found, listing no 2G date for NOS. No operator statement found. |
| NOS | 3G | Switched off | 2025 | 4gnews.pt, adslfibra.pt Phased switch-off from mid-2024; ANACOM's Q1 2025 5G report says NOS had switched off all its 3G sites during Q1 2025 (as reported by the press). |
| Vodafone Portugal | 2G | Unclear | none | iot.cards, wirelesslogic.com Trackers conflict: iot.cards (Aug 2026) lists no 2G date; Wireless Logic says 2G was targeted for shutdown by end-2025 (no confirmation that it happened). No operator statement found. |
| Vodafone Portugal | 3G | Planned | none | vodafone.pt, 4gnews.pt Gradual switch-off started July 2024 (announced June 2023). ANACOM reported a sharp fall (-70%) in Vodafone 3G sites in Q1 2025 and the process still ongoing; no completion date announced or confirmed found. Vodafone's former 3G support page now returns 404. A vendor tracker (Wireless Logic) claims 3G closed mid-2024, which conflicts with the ANACOM data. |
What it means for IoT devices in Portugal
- 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 2 networks: devices that fall back to 3G will lose service there.
- Private delivery works the same from Portugal: 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 Portugal?
Portugal 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 Portugal?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. MEO: no shutdown plan announced; NOS: no shutdown plan announced.
When is 3G switched off in Portugal?
Status by operator, as of 26 October 2026. MEO: switched off (2024-01-31); NOS: switched off (2025); Vodafone Portugal: planned.