News · Tech · Published 11 July 2026
Some 4G phones still cannot reliably call 112 after network shutdowns
Sweden’s telecom regulator says Telenor and Tre are blocking affected devices, while Tele2 has appealed the order requiring it to do the same.
DailySweden Editorial Desk
Updated 00:37 · 3 min read
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Some mobile phones that appear to work normally on 4G cannot always place emergency calls to 112 after older mobile networks were shut down, according to the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority.
PTS has now completed parts of its review of how operators are meeting emergency-call requirements following the closure of 2G and 3G networks. Tele2, Telenor and Tre began shutting those networks in early December 2025.
The authority says it learned during the changeover that customers using certain phones would not be able to reach 112 through their operator's own network after the older networks disappeared, even though the handsets continued to use 4G.
Sweden’s telecom regulator says Telenor and Tre are blocking affected devices, while Tele2 has appealed the order requiring it to do the same.
That creates what PTS describes as a false sense of security: the phone looks usable, while an emergency call may fail. The regulator says the problem poses a serious risk to life, health and public safety.
Tech essentials
In November 2025, PTS ordered Telenor, Tre and Tele2 to identify the affected devices, inform the people using them, and block those phones from their networks. The aim was to ensure that every phone allowed to remain connected could make an emergency call.
PTS says Telenor and Tre are complying with the decision. Both operators are continuously blocking phones that cannot reach 112 through their own networks.
What happens now
Tele2 is not complying with the order and has appealed it. The case remains under review, so the dispute over what Tele2 must do has not yet been resolved.
The regulator has also examined Telia. Telia intends to keep its older network operating until 2027, and PTS says the company currently meets the emergency-call rules. That review has therefore been closed without further action.
The warning concerns a specific and potentially dangerous mismatch between a phone's everyday appearance and its emergency-call capability. A handset may still connect to 4G for ordinary use while failing when the owner tries to call 112 through the operator's network.
People who receive information from their operator that their phone is affected should pay close attention to it. PTS's decisions require operators to identify the devices and notify users, while the regulator continues to oversee the transition away from 2G and 3G services.
DailySweden Editorial Desk
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