Estonia to allow switching between mobile operators' networks during crises

Starting Thursday, October 1, Estonia will allow mobile phone customers to connect to a competing operator's network if their own provider's infrastructure is damaged during a crisis. The measure covers the country's three main operators — Elisa, Tele2 and Telia.

The domestic roaming mechanism will apply across the entire country and is intended only for the most severe emergencies, such as situations threatening national security. It will not be triggered by more routine disruptions, such as power outages caused by autumn storms.

Mart Laas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs, explained that the system will operate uniformly nationwide rather than region by region, given Estonia's small size. If a customer's home network fails, their phone will automatically connect to whichever operator's network is functioning in that location. Laas noted that activating such a large-scale mechanism over storm damage would be disproportionate; it is meant for scenarios such as war or a very serious state of emergency, where an operator's network has suffered major damage that would take a long time to repair.

Tele2 operates around 1,500 telecommunications antennas across Estonia, mounted on both tall masts and building rooftops. The company's technology director, Tanel Sarri, said Tele2 has long worked to build resilience against various crisis scenarios, including backup external connections, batteries and generators. Key network nodes are backed up by generators, while smaller sites rely on battery power, ensuring nationwide coverage is maintained, primarily outdoors.

The new rule is part of the Crisis Situation and National Defense Act, passed by the Riigikogu this summer, which merges three previous laws on national defense and crisis management into a single framework. The act assigns specific crisis-related duties to local governments, introduces a nationwide crisis plan, and changes how the commander of the Estonian Defense Forces is appointed.