Many Australians Delaying Upgrade Ahead of 3G Network Closure
Nearly 60,000 mobile phones will not connect to triple-zero when the 3G network shuts down, as telcos continue urging customers to upgrade their technology.
Telstra and Optus will close the ageing mobile network from Oct. 28, having delayed their earlier deadlines to launch a public safety campaign.
A Senate inquiry in July confirmed thousands of phones would not be able to connect to the emergency line after the closure, while medical equipment, EFTPOS machines, alarms, and farming technology could be cut off.
About 59,000 handsets remain that will not connect to triple-zero on the 4G network, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said industry figures show.
These devices have been a concern for the government and industry as users may not know their phone relies on 3G for emergency calls until after the shutdown.
The handsets—often bought overseas or second-hand—use 4G data for regular calls and texts but bump triple-zero calls to 3G because they do not have a technology called Voice over LTE.
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There were 740,000 of these devices in use in early 2024, prompting the government to form an industry working group.
The latest figures represent a marked reduction, Rowland said in a statement to AAP.
“Industry has undertaken significant efforts to identify and contact potentially affected customers and share critical public information about the 3G switchover,” she said.
All telcos have a service for customers to check the status of their device by texting “3” to the number 3498.
Telstra and Optus are running a joint social media campaign urging users to “check your tech”, as well as sending millions of alerts via SMS, email, recorded messages, and letters.
The 3G closure is in part behind a boost in Australia’s smartphone market, which surged by eight percent in the first half of 2024 as people upgraded their devices, according to a report by technology analyst firm Telsyte.
Optus was also working closely with providers of personal medical devices, alarms and retail technology that might rely on 3G, executive Harvey Wright said.
“The good news is that as we get closer to the date we’ve seen those numbers reduce,” he told AAP.
Telstra had also been working with manufacturers of medical devices and reaching users through health publications and on screens in clinic waiting rooms, a spokesman said.
The 3G network closure is necessary to allow for the expansion of 4G and 5G services, he said.
“The time is right for us to close it so we can focus on investing in future-proofing our network to meet customer demand rather than in maintaining old technology that it’s increasingly hard to source parts for.”
Both Telstra and Optus have up-to-date advice about the closure and available devices on their websites.
