The Australian Government estimates around 102,000 4G handsets will lose the ability to call Triple Zero once Optus and Telstra finish shuttering their 3G networks in September of this year. Down from 740,000 handsets in March, some might also lose the ability to make calls or send SMS entirely, even if they retain access to the internet via 4G.
Vodafone already finalised its 3G shutdown in January.
Which phones will be affected?
Even if your phone has 4G capabilities, it might only use 4G for internet access and rely on 3G for calls and text. There are also concerns some phones with 4G calling won’t be able to call Triple Zero without 3G.
Many of these handsets were likely bought overseas and brought back home. Some could also be “grey imports”, which is when a retailer buys overseas phone models and resells them in Australia. This practice can allow lower prices, but can also mean those phones aren’t configured for the Australian telco landscape. As such, some have sub-optimum frequency coverage or lack full 4G support.
To find out if you’re one of the unlucky few whose handset will be affected by the 3G network shutdowns, message ‘3’ to 3498, making sure you send the message from the handset in question. You should receive an instant reply answering whether your handset is affected.
You can also visit 3gclosure.com.au and enter your device’s 15-digit IMEI number. The method for finding this number depends on the device, but you should be able to learn how with a quick Google search (Android users should include their handset’s brand and model, rather than just searching for “Android”).
Deals for Optus customers
Optus today announced discounts for some of its affected customers, to help them switch to a new handset. Existing postpaid customers can get up to $400 off any new handset on an eligible plan. The telco also claimed it will be offering 20,000 no-cost handsets to select customers who are having trouble replacing their outdated model.
Postpaid customers can call 1300 219 070, while those on prepaid can call 1300 720 225 to find out what might be on offer. You can also visit an Optus retail store.
Why are the 3G networks shutting down?
At this point, few mobile phones in Australia rely on 3G for full or partial functionality – no new phones intended for sale within Australia have relied on it for a number of years now. As such, Australia’s 3G networks are occupying valuable radio spectrum that could be used for more capable and relevant technologies, such as 4G and 5G. Freeing up this spectrum should increase the overall coverage, reliability and speed of each network’s 4G and 5G coverage.
If your phone will be affected by the shutdown, it’s important to replace it before it loses functionality. Even if you retain access to regular calls, texts, and access the internet, you might not be able to call 000 in emergencies.
These are the cheapest mobile phone plans with at least 15GB of data, sourced from our database of 28 mobile providers:
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
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