Which mobile network does each Irish operator use?

How many Irish mobile networks are there?

Three: eir, Vodafone and Three each run their own masts. Every other brand is a virtual operator that rents capacity on one of them, so its signal reaches exactly where its host's does. ComReg's figures for mid-2026 put the eir, Vodafone and Three groups at about 84% of mobile subscriptions between them.

ComReg's Quarterly Key Data Report for the second quarter of 2026 gives these shares of mobile subscriptions: Vodafone 31.8%, Three 27.7%, eir 24.9%, Tesco Mobile 8.1%, Lycamobile 2.5%, Virgin Mobile 2.5%, Sky Mobile 1.7%, An Post Mobile 0.9%. GoMo, 48 and Clear Mobile are counted inside eir, Three and Vodafone, which own them or host them.

Each network makes its own claim on its own site: eir says it has 99% 5G and 99.9% 4G population coverage; Vodafone claims up to 99% population coverage for voice, data and text; Three says it has 99% 4G coverage and over 90% 5G population coverage. These are national figures for people, not land, and they say nothing about one street or one building.

Which network does each Irish mobile brand use?

The table lists 12 brands, the network each names on its own pages (or that ComReg names for it), and the coverage map it sends customers to. Virgin Mobile is the only brand whose current pages do not name a network: its FAQ tells customers to ask customer care instead.

Which brands use the eir network?

eir, GoMo, Lidl Connect and Lycamobile. GoMo says it "uses the eir network", Lidl says Lidl Connect "uses the eir mobile network", and ComReg lists Lycamobile on eir. All of them share eir's masts with eir's own customers, so a signal check for one is a signal check for every brand on this network.

GoMo is also owned by eir: its terms define the provider as "eircom Limited … trading as GoMo". Lidl Connect is sold by 1GLOBAL, not eir, and Lycamobile is a separate company too; they rent eir's network but set their own prices and run their own customer service.

eir is switching off its 3G network from 1 October 2026, county by county, and that applies to every brand on its masts. Phones that only do 3G data lose mobile internet; calls and texts move to 2G.

Which brands use the Vodafone network?

Vodafone, Clear Mobile, An Post Mobile and Sky Mobile. Clear says it "runs on the Vodafone network", An Post says An Post Mobile "is powered by Vodafone network", and Sky's launch announcement describes a wholesale deal "Leveraging the Vodafone Mobile Network". Vodafone itself claims up to 99% population coverage for voice, data and text.

Vodafone switched off its 3G network in October 2024, according to ComReg, after a phased switch-off that began in February 2023. Its own page says the 2G network, which carries calls for phones without 4G calling, is staying.

Clear Mobile and Sky Mobile send customers to ComReg's map. An Post Mobile does not link to a map on its pages, but ComReg's map lists An Post Mobile as a provider you can select.

Which brands use the Three network?

Three, 48 and Tesco Mobile. 48 says it "runs on the Three network" and Tesco Mobile says it "uses the Three network". Both have their own coverage maps on their sites. Three claims 99% 4G coverage and over 90% 5G population coverage, and 48 and Tesco Mobile reach the same places as Three's own customers.

Virgin Mobile has often been described as running on Three, but its current mobile page no longer names a network. Its FAQ says to "contact customer care to confirm the current network partner", and adds that SIM-only plans "currently operate on 4G". This site therefore lists Virgin Mobile's network as not stated.

Three has not published a date for switching off its own 3G network; we did not find one on three.ie or on ComReg's 3G page.

Where is the coverage map for each network?

ComReg's outdoor coverage map, coveragemap.comreg.ie, shows 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G for eleven brands on the same basis. eir, Vodafone, Clear Mobile, Lycamobile and Sky send customers there. Three, GoMo, 48, Tesco Mobile and Lidl have their own maps. Lidl Connect is not on ComReg's list: choose eir there instead.

ComReg's provider list has 48, An Post Mobile, Clear Mobile, Eir, GoMo, Lycamobile, Sky, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Media and Vodafone, with layers for each technology. ComReg is the regulator, not a seller, so its map compares networks the same way. The map notes that ComReg requested the operators' data by 5 May 2026.

There is no separate eir mobile coverage map: eir's own "See our mobile coverage maps" link opens ComReg's map with eir selected, and eir's coverage checker on its broadband pages is for fibre. For 5G, switch the technology layer to 5G.

Every map shows outdoor signal. Thick walls, metal-coated windows and basements can still block it, and Tesco Mobile's map says it "is indicative and not a guarantee of Service availability".

Does the same network mean the same coverage?

For where the signal reaches, yes: brands on one network use the same masts. They can still differ in what you get on those masts: whether 5G, VoLTE and WiFi calling are switched on for your plan, and how responsive data feels. Virgin Mobile, for example, says its SIM-only plans currently run on 4G.

Older GoMo plans are another example. GoMo customers on €9.99 and €12.99 plans were told in October 2026 that they would get 5G at no extra cost, TheJournal.ie reported; GoMo has not announced this on its own site.

Speed and latency can differ too. In one independent test on 30 September 2026, Goosed.ie measured a median latency of 59.6 ms on Lidl Connect against 32.5 ms for eir’s own customers in one independent test, on the same network. That matters for games and video calls more than for browsing.

What are the APN settings for each Irish network?

Most phones take the APN from the SIM, so you only need it when mobile data fails after a SIM change. The table gives the data APN each brand publishes on its own pages. GoMo, Lidl Connect and Sky Mobile publish none; settings found online for the German Lidl Connect or UK Sky do not work here.

Three uses two APNs, depending on the first digits of the SIM number printed on the card: 3ireland.ie for SIMs starting 8935305, and internet for SIMs starting 8935302. Tesco Mobile also sends the settings by text: text "data" to 174705.

To check or enter an APN on Android, open Settings, then Mobile network, then Access Point Names. On iPhone, open Settings, then Mobile Service, then Mobile Data Network. For Lidl Connect, see Lidl Connect APN settings.

How do you choose a network for where you live?

Check the places where you spend most time, such as home, work and your commute, on ComReg's map for each of the three networks, then pick a brand on the network that works best there. Within one network, choose on price, roaming data, eSIM and support, because the signal will be the same.

Ask neighbours which network works indoors on your street: that is what no outdoor map shows. If you can, start on a plan with no minimum term, so you can move if the signal disappoints. Lidl Connect, 48, GoMo and Lycamobile have none.

The plan finder filters every SIM-only plan by network, and the compare table shows each plan's network next to its price.