Planned Telco 3G closures delayed

Telstra and Optus will delay the planned closure of their 3G networks until later this year.
They both want to conduct a final public safety awareness campaign amid concerns that emergency services calls could be affected.
Telstra said, “We’re giving our customers who haven’t upgraded their devices even more time to prepare before we switch off our 3G network from 28 October 2024,” on the Telstra Facebook Page.
“We announced we’d be closing 3G almost five years ago and have been regularly updating customers ever since. More recently, we’ve been door knocking and sent free phones in some cases to people who need it most.
“We’re doing all of this because we know how important it is to stay connected.”
The announcement of the delay in the 3G network shutdown is welcome news for the rural, regional and remote communities as it gives more opportunity to ensure their health and wellbeing is not compromised, according to the National Rural Health Alliance.
“We are pleased that the government and the industry heard our calls for the delay through our and other stakeholders’ voices and submissions to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee inquiry into the 3G shutdown,” National Rural Health Alliance Chief Executive Susi Tegen stated.
“This is an acknowledgment that the voice of the 7 million people in rural, regional and remote Australia has been listened to, allowing more preparation and support where needed, in time for the changeover.
“While we welcome the decision to delay the shutdown, we urge the telecommunications industry to use this extra time to work with the Minister for Communications the Hon Michelle Rowland MP to ensure that those without coverage are supported financially as well as from a digital literacy perspective,” Ms Tegen added.
“We have highlighted on many occasions that the impact of the 3G network shutdown is amplified for people living in rural, regional and remote areas due to the limited availability of healthcare services and the heavy reliance of 3G-enabled medical and other devices.
“Many would risk losing access to triple-zero due to the use of older mobile phones that only support 3G networks.
“We appreciate the government and industries working on these concerns and we are committed to watching closely how the situation unfolds in the upcoming months,” Ms Tegen concluded.
While the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed that the 3G network closure will be extended, they are urging against complacency.
NFF President David Jochinke said while people now had until October 28 to prepare, it was important they didn’t leave it to the last minute.
“This is not the time to take a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude. I urge people to check their devices urgently and make sure they are compatible with the 4G and 5G networks,” he advised.
Beyond mobile phones, the NFF urged rural Australians to think about what other technologies might be using the 3G network. This includes ag tech such as livestock and dog trackers, weather stations, soil moisture probes, yield monitors and variable rate technology. There are also security cameras, EFTPOS machines, medical monitors, 3G landlines (NGWL), repeaters, antennas and electronic road signs.
“If you don’t know whether your device runs on the 3G network, you must contact the manufacturer to find out. Make sure this is on the top of your priority list,” Mr Jochinke explained.
He added this was the second extension by Telstra and it was time for action.
“We can’t keep prolonging the inevitable. Let’s use this time wisely and then start focusing on how we move forward and address the systemic issues facing rural connectivity.”
Once the network is switched off, old devices that rely on 3G won’t work anymore or may provide limited coverage, so they’ll need to be upgraded. This includes:
•3G-only mobile phones
•4G-enabled mobiles that rely on 3G for emergency calls
•4G-enabled mobiles that aren’t configured to work on Telstra’s 4G network
•Other devices that rely on 3G, like medical devices and some of the older EFTPOS terminals
If you need to upgrade, simply SMS ‘3’ to 3498 and Telstra will tell you if your handset needs to be updated. For other connected devices, it’s best to reach out to the supplier or manufacturer for more information.

Last Updated: 28/08/2024By

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