After years of planning Australia’s final 3G network shutdown is underway, leaving thousands of older devices stranded and some remote regions struggling with mobile coverage.
After two postponements and a major public awareness campaign, Telstra and Optus finally began to shut down the remaining sections of their 3G mobile networks across the country on October 28.
Telstra says it will take about a week to complete its 3G shutdown, while Optus expects the process may take several months. Previously, Vodafone switched off its 3G network between December 2023 and January 2024.
All three Australian mobile network operators are decommissioning their 3G networks so they can reallocate that mobile spectrum to bolster their 4G and 5G networks.
When was the shutdown announced?
In 2019, Telstra was the first Australia network provider to announce a shutdown date for its 3G mobile network, with Optus and Vodafone later following suit.
With the announcement, Telstra committed to expanding its 4G coverage to a “materially equivalent size and reach” to its 3G footprint. At the time, 0.3 per cent of the population had 3G-only coverage.
The final stage of the 3G shutdown was postponed after, at the beginning of 2024, it was estimated that around 740,000 devices were still set to be impacted by the change. After a significant public awareness campaign, this number is now estimated to be around 59,000.
Which devices are affected by Australia’s 3G network shutdown?
Mobile phones manufactured before 2019 are likely to be impacted by the 3G shutdown. Newer 4G/5G phones purchased or imported from an overseas retailer, otherwise known as “grey phones”, may also be affected – particularly those that don’t support the 700 MHz band.
Some of the affected phones include the following:
- iPhone 3G
- iPhone 3GS
- iPhone 4
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5C
- iPhone 5S
- Samsung Galaxy S5
- Samsung Galaxy S6
- Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy Note 4
- Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini
- Google Pixel 2 XL
- Oppo A57
- Oppo F1s
- Oppo F5 Youth
Along with mobile handsets, other devices in Australia potentially impacted by the 3G shutdown include medical devices, EFTPOS machines, ATMs, farming equipment and other internet-connected devices.
Impacted medical devices include personal medical alarms, pacemakers and wearable health monitors which rely on 3G to report on their status. Some impacted Australians have been provided with dongles and device upgrades to mitigate their reliance on 3G, although there are reports that Telstra is still struggling to provide 4G coverage for some affected Australians previously relying on 3G for medical device monitoring.
As listed by Optus, some of the impacted medical devices and other connected gadgets include:
- iHelp personal fall alarm
- Quectel EC21-AU series
- Cinterion EHS6
- Fibocom NL668-EAU
- Gemalto Cinterion PHS8-P
- MikroTik R11E-LTE6
- PPIS LTE
- Sierra Wireless Airprime
- Telit H24
- U-Blox LISA-U200
- Zebra TC56/TC57
Under new federal law, telecommunications providers are now legally required to block impacted mobile phones which can no longer call Triple Zero from accessing their networks.
When upgrading from impacted 3G devices, affordable Optus recommendations include the Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen), Samsung Galaxy A55 5G, Motorola Moto G54 and Samsung Galaxy A15 5G.
In the lead-up to the switch-off, both Telstra and Optus still had pockets of 3G-only coverage, mostly in remote regions of the country.
Telstra claims to have upgraded its 4G network to match the coverage of its 3G network, while Optus is continuing to operate 3G in remote areas until 4G becomes available in the coming months.
How to check if the 3G network shutdown affects you
If you’re still unsure whether the 3G network shutdown impacts your device, you can text ‘3’ to ‘3498’ (3GXT) to find out.
If in doubt, check. You might be ready for when 3G goes away but it’s worth checking with your friends and family who might not be as tech savvy.
The post Australia’s final 3G network shutdown begins: who’s affected? appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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