2G and 3G switch-off in Ireland: what it means for devices

The 2G and 3G switch-off in Ireland is not happening all at once, and it is not the same story as in Britain. Vodafone has already switched off 3G, eir is switching its 3G off now, and Three has not published a completion date. 2G is staying for the time being: no Irish operator has announced an end date for it. A device that depends on 3G for data is the one at risk, and a new SIM cannot add a radio the device does not have, so the work is in knowing what your devices can actually use.

Where each Irish network stands

So, unlike in Britain, a device that can fall back to 2G will usually keep its voice, SMS and basic data in Ireland. What it loses is 3G data, which is exactly what many alarm diallers, telecare units, older card machines, trackers and routers were built to use. Do not plan around a 2G closing date: none has been announced, and Britain's dates do not apply here.

A separate change: the copper phone network

Alongside the mobile changes, eir is moving customers off the old copper phone network exchange area by exchange area, under the framework ComReg set in Decision D09/23. Equipment that signals over a landline, such as alarm diallers, lift lines and telecare units, needs another path when its exchange area moves. A 4G communicator with a data SIM is one such path. Ask eir or your line provider when your exchange is due to move.

Which devices to check first

• Intruder and fire alarms. Communicators and diallers that report over 3G data, or over a copper line, to a monitoring centre. Work through the change with your PSA-licensed installer and monitoring centre.
• Lift lines. Emergency phones in lifts are often on a copper line or an older mobile module. Check both the line and the module.
• Social alarms and telecare. Personal monitored alarms and telecare hubs in people's homes, many of them installed years ago. Check each model's mobile technology, and its landline dependency, with the supplier.
• Card machines. Older countertop and portable terminals with 3G modules. Most come with the payment provider's own SIM, so ask the provider whether the model is affected.
• Trackers, routers and telemetry. Older GPS trackers, 3G routers and remote monitoring units, particularly on eir SIMs.

Find out what the device's modem supports

Everything depends on the cellular modem inside the device. Check its specification for the network technologies it supports:

• 2G only (GPRS, EDGE): still works on Irish 2G networks, which have no announced end date, but has very little data capacity.
• 3G (UMTS, HSPA): no longer usable on Vodafone or, as its switch-off completes, on eir. It may fall back to 2G.
• 4G (LTE): the current mainstream for devices.
• LTE-M and NB-IoT: low-power 4G-family technologies for devices that send small amounts of data.

If the specification is unclear, the model number and the manufacturer's support pages usually settle it.

Audit before anything stops

For an estate of more than a handful of devices, a simple inventory turns a vague worry into a plan:

Devices that are hard to reach, or that do something safety-related, such as alarms, lift lines and telecare, go to the top of the list.

What to replace with

A replacement device should support 4G, and for low-power, low-data devices LTE-M or NB-IoT is worth considering because they are built for long battery life and deep coverage. ThingSIM SIMs support 4G data, LTE-M, NB-IoT, 2G and SMS. If the device needs a voice path, check that separately with the device supplier, because a data SIM alone does not provide one.

Most telemetry devices use very little data. 50 MB on the Ireland multi-network plan is €0.99 a month, and roaming across Vodafone, Three and eir helps devices in awkward locations. See how much data your device needs to size it.

Common questions

Will a new SIM keep my 3G device working in Ireland?

Not on 3G. Vodafone's 3G is off and eir's is being switched off, and the limit is the device's modem, not the SIM. If the device can fall back to 2G, it can keep reporting over 2G for now, since no Irish network has announced a 2G end date. Plan to replace 3G-only devices with 4G, LTE-M or NB-IoT models.

Is 2G being switched off in Ireland?

No date has been announced. Vodafone says it is continuing to invest in 2G, and neither Three nor eir has announced an end date. Every ThingSIM works on 2G as well as 4G, LTE-M and NB-IoT, so a legacy 2G device can keep reporting while 2G remains on.

When is eir switching off 3G?

eir began switching off 3G in phases from 1 October 2026, region by region, starting in Donegal. eir's own 3G switch-off page has the dates for each area.

Has Three switched off 3G?

Three has not published a completion date for switching off 3G in Ireland. Check with Three for devices on its network, and do not rely on 3G for new installations.

Is the copper landline switch-off the same thing?

No. eir's move away from the copper phone network is a separate change, made exchange area by exchange area under ComReg Decision D09/23. Alarms, lift lines and telecare units on a landline need checking for both.

Do ThingSIM SIMs support NB-IoT and LTE-M?

Yes, as well as 4G data, 2G and SMS. See LTE-M vs NB-IoT.

Which devices are most likely to be affected?

Alarm communicators and diallers, lift lines, social alarms and telecare units, older card machines, trackers and 3G routers. Check each model's supported technologies and record them in an inventory.