Effective dates: 25 November – 3 December 2025
Applies to: KPN IoT SIMs roaming on O2 UK
Summary
O2 UK is permanently withdrawing 2G and 3G inbound roaming for KPN SIMs. A phased shutdown will take place between 25 November and 3 December 2025, with 3G on O2 fully withdrawn UK-wide by 31 December 2025.
What’s changing?
O2 UK will permanently discontinue 2G and 3G inbound roaming for KPN SIMs.
Although the original withdrawal date was 1st October 2025, O2 granted temporary extended access to a small number of roaming partners, including KPN, to support IoT deployments using legacy modules.
KPN has now confirmed that this temporary extension will end, and O2 will complete the shutdown as per the dates below.
Timeline: O2 UK 2G and 3G Switch-Off for KPN SIMs
| Date | Change | Impact on KPN SIMs |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 2025 (out of hours) | Initial 2G shutdown steps | Minor reduction in 2G voice capacity |
| 26 Nov 2025 (business hours) | 2G data network changes | 2G data begins to degrade; possible loss of connectivity |
| 3 Dec 2025 (early hours) | 2G voice removed | 2G voice unavailable; only 3G voice and VoLTE remain |
| 3 Dec 2025 (business hours) | Complete 2G shutdown | No 2G voice or data available on O2 UK for KPN SIMs |
| By 31 Dec 2025 | 3G sunset completed across UK | No 3G roaming anywhere in the UK |
After these dates, 4G, 5G and LPWAN technologies will be required to maintain service.What this means for your devices
2G/3G-only devices
These devices will lose connectivity on O2 UK:
2G data becomes unreliable from 26 November
2G voice and data unavailable from 3 December
3G unavailable UK-wide by 31 December
Voice services
2G voice on O2 will no longer be available after 3 December
3G voice withdrawn by 31 December
Voice-capable devices must support alternative voice calling like VoLTE (4G Calling)
2G fallback may still be possible on Vodafone or EE, depending on your roaming profile
2G availability on Vodafone and EE
2G may still be available in the UK on Vodafone and EE, but only if your KPN SIM’s roaming profile allows access to these networks.
Please contact your Account Manager or sales@wirelesslogic.com to confirm whether your SIMs have access to Vodafone or EE 2G.
LTE module behaviour
Some LTE modules behave differently depending on configuration:
Voice-centric mode: Expects a 2G/3G circuit-switched voice path. Devices may struggle to connect once only LTE is available.
Data-centric mode: Uses LTE data only and remains stable in a 4G-only environment.
Recommendation: Configure devices in data-centric mode wherever possible.
Multi-operator SIMs
If your KPN SIM can roam onto multiple UK networks:
Roaming will continue based on each operator’s shutdown schedule
O2 2G will not be available after 3 December
No UK network will offer 3G roaming after 31 December
Fallback will be to 2G on Vodafone or EE, where available
Wireless Logic will notify customers of any further updates from KPN or O2.
What you should do
To avoid service disruption:
Upgrade devices to 4G, 5G, LTE-M or NB-IoT hardware
Enable alternative voice like VoLTE for capable devices
Set LTE modules to data-centric mode
Review your device estate to identify affected units
Adjusting device network-selection behaviour to steer devices away from connecting to O2 UK.
Many IoT modules allow network priorities or blocks to be set at hardware or firmware level.
Why steering matters
Once the 2G shutdown begins, any 2G registration attempt to O2 UK will be rejected. O2 will return a cause code that marks O2 as forbidden in the SIM’s memory.
This “forbidden network” state lasts for 24 hours, or until the device reboots.
During this time, the device will not attempt to reconnect to O2, even if it is the strongest signal.
The device will still be able to connect to Vodafone or EE 2G, where supported by its roaming profile.
Proactively steering devices away from O2 ensures they connect directly to alternative networks instead of repeatedly attempting O2, reducing downtime during the shutdown phases.
Need help?
If you have questions about device upgrades, roaming behaviour, or suitable alternatives, please contact your Wireless Logic Account Manager or email us at sales@wirelesslogic.com. Our team can help you review impacted SIMs and plan a smooth transition.
For general queries or technical assistance, including troubleshooting connectivity issues, please contact our Support Team at support@wirelesslogic.com.
For wider context on global 2G and 3G shutdowns, visit our Global 2G & 3G network closures page.