Squiz Shortcuts - The 3G shutdown

Your Shortcut to the 3G shutdown

Australia is shutting down its 3G phone network in the coming months, and that’s set to be a problem for the estimated 500,000 people who are still using phones and other devices that rely on 3G, particularly in regional areas. It’s an issue that’s been temporarily put on hold, but as we get closer to the deadline the phone is ringing. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll look at:

• why 3G is being retired

• how that’s going to happen

• and how it’ll affect Aussie phone customers.

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Squiz the Shortcut

I’ve heard some phones might stop working when 3G is switched off… 
Yep, this could be a reality soon for around 500,000 Aussies with older phones that use the 3G network at the end of August. 

How long have we known this was coming?
Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom which owns Vodafone have been working for 5 years towards switching off 3G networks across the country. And it’s not just in Australia - phone companies all around the world are closing down 3G. 

Why’s that?
It’s because fewer people are using 3G since the rollout of 4G and 5G, which offer a much faster and clearer service. 

That’s a lot of Gs… 
The G stands for generation… Since mobiles were introduced, there have been 5 generations of phone data networks rolled out around the world - starting with the 1G network which was introduced in Japan back in 1979 through to 5G which was rolled out in Australia in 2019.

Why can’t phone companies keep the 3G network going?
The telcos say it’s because they’d be servicing a network that is used by less than 1% of the population, which doesn’t make a lot of business sense. So what they’re going to do is repurpose the 3G radio frequency to improve and expand the 4G and 5G networks - that process is called “re-farming”. We did this with the 2G network back in the early 2000s when 3G came in. 

How many people are still using phones that rely on 3G?
The latest government figures show that 530,000 people are still using phones that rely on the 3G network, something federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland says is “deeply concerning”. 

Has anyone told them what’s coming?
Yes, the telcos have been notifying customers who are affected, and the federal government is urging anyone who's been contacted by their phone company to take immediate action to stay connected. 

Is there an easy way to check whether my phone will be affected?
Yep, there’s a handy text service for this launched by both Telstra and Optus - just text ‘3’ to the number 3498. This will send a reply back straight away telling you whether your phone is compatible with 4G and whether you need to take any action. 

Great. Any other ways?
You can also contact your phone company, look up the specifications of your device online or in the manual it came with, or you can upgrade your phone with a software update from your phone company, which will include something called VoLTE.

Voldemort?...
No. VoLTE (it stands for Voice over Long Term Evolution). It’s the piece of tech that allows 4G and 5G phones to send voice calls and data at the same time, meaning people can be on a call while also browsing the internet, without the call quality or data speeds being affected. Phones that can only use the 3G network don’t have that capability and that’s why they won’t work after the shutdown. 

Is it true that some 4G phones might also be affected?
That’s right. Around 740,000 4G phones - particularly older ones and phones bought overseas - won’t work for emergency calls after the shutdown. That’s because some of the old 4G models don’t support 4G voice calling, which means they revert to the 3G network. And there’s also another category of 4G phones that do support normal voice calls but force emergency calls to 3G. 

That’s a worry… 
Exactly. The government is especially concerned that people with 4G phones will think they’re fine to keep operating because they can make ordinary calls, but if they need to ring Triple Zero after the shutdown, they won’t be able to.

What models are we talking about?
The models that could be affected include iPhone series 5, Galaxy series 5 and some series 6, Huawei Y6 Prime, and some other phones exclusively sold through Optus. But it’s always best to check with your telco to make sure. 

Is it just phones that will be affected?
Nope. The shutdown will also affect tablets, smartwatches and baby monitors. There’s also an estimated 200,000 medical and personal safety alarms for the elderly that will stop working after the switch off. And businesses that use older EFTPOS machines could also find themselves in trouble. 

I’ve heard people in the bush could be especially impacted…
Yes they will. For many farmers and people who live regionally, the 3G network is still their area’s only service, and the shutdown not only means they’ll be cut off from communication, but equipment like pumps, gates and weather monitors will also stop working. 

Is there a plan to improve mobile services in regional areas?
Yes. The federal government has put $1.1 billion towards improvements under its Better Connectivity Plan, which includes mapping black spots.

And what about replacing 3G?
Both Telstra and Optus have said they’ll replace all existing 3G mobile phone towers with 4G before the shutdown. 

Will farmers get any compensation to upgrade or replace equipment?
No. And that’s because the shutdown was announced 5 years ago, so there’s a position that people have had enough warning to replace phones and other equipment. That said, both the telcos are aware of the community’s concerns, and earlier this month Telstra extended its deadline by 2 months to allow people more time to upgrade devices if they need to. And in the meantime, both phone companies are actively contacting affected customers.

How are they doing that?
Telstra is sending out a short recorded message to 3G phone users every time they make an outgoing call ahead of the shutdown, and Optus is contacting customers by letter, email and SMS. 

Can’t I just call Triple Zero to see if my phone connects?
No, that’s one thing the government doesn’t want people to do. Not only because emergency calls made from affected phones will continue to connect right up until the shutdown happens, but also because they need the lines clear for genuine emergencies.

So will those half a million people need to buy a new phone?  
Not necessarily. For some, it might just mean changing their SIM card from a mini or micro SIM to a nano one, which is needed for 4G. But for others, a system upgrade might also do the trick. The government is also warning people to beware of scams and to make sure that when they contact their telco, they use only trusted links or call directly.

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