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Iceland's switch-off review: 4,200 phones still could not reliably call 112 in August
Iceland's telecom regulator has published its review of the 2G and 3G closure. Most phones are fine. The ones that are not tend to be older or bought abroad.
About 4,200 phones in Iceland still could not reliably reach the emergency number 112 in early August, two months after the country closed its 2G and 3G networks, the regulator Fjarskiptastofa reported on 18 September.
The review, published by the Ministry of Infrastructure, tracks the phones that could not reliably reach 112: about 30,000 at the turn of the year, about 6,000 when the last 3G transmitter went off on 1 June, and 4,200 in early August. By 1 June about 99% of mobile users had a phone expected to make emergency calls reliably.
The problem sits in the handset. Some 4G phones worked normally for calls and data but could not connect to 112, an issue that only surfaced in October 2025. Iceland Review reported in June that older or foreign-bought phones were among them and that visitors were the group most at risk. The regulator says it will consider temporary measures to inform foreign tourists.
What it means in practice: Iceland has set up 599-0112 as a temporary backup route to the emergency line for phones that cannot reach 112, and 1280 as a test number that checks whether a device connects to 112. Save the backup number before you drive out of Reykjavik.
Coverage is the other open question. The regulator is measuring coverage and quality across the country, rural areas included, with results due in November. Where coverage was thin before the switch-off, it will not change unless new transmitter sites are added.
A travel eSIM carries your data, not your emergency calls, and the review counts phones, not SIM cards. Your home SIM stays in the phone, so you keep your number on WhatsApp.
About 4,200 phones in Iceland still could not reliably reach 112 in early August 2026, down from about 30,000 at the turn of the year (Fjarskiptastofa, September 2026).
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