When are 2G and 3G switching off in Ireland?
Basic phones and flip phones make calls over 2G, 3G or 4G calling (VoLTE). Here's when each network switches 2G and 3G off, and what that means for your phone.
As of 23 October 2026
Every network
Smaller networks use a big network's masts, so they have its 2G and 3G and its dates.
| Network | Uses | 2G | 3G |
|---|---|---|---|
| eir | Own masts | OnSwitch-off date: not confirmedeir moves calls and texts from 3G onto 2G. Source | Switching offWas planned for by 28 October 2026; not yet confirmed as doneSwitched off county by county. Source |
| Three | Own masts | OnSwitch-off date: not confirmed Source | Switching offSwitch-off date: not confirmedThree began closing 3G in late 2024. Source |
| Vodafone | Own masts | OnSwitch-off date: not confirmedVodafone says it keeps investing in 2G for voice coverage. Source | OffSwitched off: October 2024 Source |
| 48 | Three | OnSame as Three | Switching offSame as Three |
| An Post Mobile | Vodafone | OnSame as Vodafone | OffSame as Vodafone |
| Clear Mobile | Vodafone | OnSame as Vodafone | OffSame as Vodafone |
| GoMo | eir | OnSame as eir | Switching offSame as eir |
| Lyca Mobile | eir | OnSame as eir | Switching offSame as eir |
| Tesco Mobile | Three | OnSame as Three | Switching offSame as Three |
“Not confirmed” means the network hasn't announced a date we could find, or we couldn't confirm it. We don't estimate dates.
What it means for a basic phone
- While a network still runs 2G, almost any basic phone can make calls on it.
- After 2G and 3G are gone, a phone can only make calls with 4G calling (VoLTE). The phone has to support it, and the network has to turn it on for that phone. Many networks only do that for phones they've approved.
- A phone without 4G calling may still show signal and use 4G data, but it can't make or take calls.
- A phone we've confirmed makes 4G calls on your network isn't affected by either switch-off.
As of 24 Oct 2026, none of the 6 basic phones sold in Ireland is confirmed to make 4G calls on all 3 big networks.
See which phones make 4G calls on each network
Each network's page lists the phones we've confirmed on it: eir, Three, Vodafone. All networks
Last updated 23 October 2026. How we check