Farmers among those affected by major 3G network switch-off

The 3G network’s shutdown has disrupted Queensland’s ag sector, forcing farmers to invest in costly equipment upgrades for machinery and connectivity as older devices went offline.

Queensland farmers were some of the most affected by the shutdown of the 3G mobile phone network. Picture: Contributed

Queensland farmers were some of the most affected by Monday’s 3G network closure.

As sectors of the network were switched off, thousands of the state’s farmers were forced to upgrade remote controls and machinery which used wi-fi connected to 3G.

Across the network in the southeast and around Brisbane, an estimated 9000 people faced major disruption as the 3G network closure cut dead mobile phones and other devices.

Neither Optus nor Telstra released specific data on the exact number of affected customers at a state or local level but an estimated 80,000 telco users across the country were using the 3G network.

Both companies emphasised the “small percentage” of overall customers impacted, with both claiming no significant disruptions or emergencies were reported on Monday.

Older mobile models that no longer connect include iPhone 4, Samsung Galaxy S5, along with some medical devices, security systems, and technology that relied solely on 3G to operate.

Fall alarms, heart monitors, EFTPOS systems, security cameras, and agricultural machinery that used 3G technology were also redundant and no longer connecting.

Queensland Farmers Federation said thousands of farmers had been using the 3G network and it was too early to say how many were affected this week. Picture: Contributed

Additionally, “grey phones”, both 4G or 5G-capable devices bought overseas that do not support Australia’s Band 28 (700MHz), no longer connect, which caused issues for those trying to call emergency services.

Devices that had used the 3G network all stopped connecting unless they were updated to support VoLTE, Voice over LTE, to enable call capabilities on 4G networks.

Queensland Farmers Federation chief executive Jo Sheppard said thousands of Queensland farmers had been using the 3G network.

“It is estimated that approximately 80,000 3G-only enabled handsets are still in use across Australia,” Ms Sheppard said.

“Those using these handsets need to be aware that it will simply not connect to the network once the shutdown takes place.

“Farmers who have not yet prepared for the shutdown are urged to contact their network provider or the regional tech hub as soon as possible to seek advice as to the options available to them.

“It is important that farmers immediately report any communication difficulties they experience to their network provider and seek the assistance of their producer peak body should they need help.

“Connectivity in agriculture is important in day-to-day business operations, and it is also a safety issue so it was critical that farmers across the state were prepared for the 3G shutdown,” Ms Sheppard said.

Many farmers had already upgraded to 5G.

Telstra sent out 18,000 free handsets to customers in vulnerable circumstances including many farmers in western Queensland.

Isaac River farmer William Laidlaw said he had upgraded his equipment last year at an estimated cost of more than $25,000 after learning about the network closure.

“We used 3G wi-fi (remote controls) on our machinery to record data for the entire property and it was actually a good excuse to upgrade – but it did cost a lot of money but in the end it was worthwhile,” he said.

“Now all electronic upgrades will be done automatically and we receive a message to update software.”

Queensland Ambulance Service reported no major issues with emergency service calls to triple-0 during the Monday network shutdown despite some with 3G mobile phones being unable to call triple-0.

Telstra said its planned phased out would be completed over the next week with Optus claiming it would probably take several weeks to finalise.

Vodafone completed its own 3G shutdown between December 2023 and January 2024, leaving only 4G and 5G networks available nationwide.

A spokesman for the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman said it was too early to determine the fallout of the closure as it would take place over a few weeks.

The ombudsman spokesman said it could take days for complaints to be registered as many people, including farmers, would not realise that the network was no longer operating.

“People should check their technology with the supplier of the equipment but also go to the telco to rule out 3G,” the ombudsman spokesman said.

“It is likely that many people do not realise that some of their older devices used the 3G network.”

Some outback farmers were forced to spend more than $20,000 to upgrade systems before the 3G network closure. Picture: Contributed

While some voiced frustration about device compatibility, especially those with imported 4G and 5G devices that lack Band 28 (700MHz) support, the impact was expected to lessen as upgrades become more accessible.

Brisbane-area users were warned as early as October last year to “check their tech” for compatibility, noting that many phones manufactured before 2019 would no longer work without an upgrade.

Optus said residents relying on 3G-only devices for communication or essential services, had received more than 10 million messages encouraging them to replace handsets to remain connected.

Telstra and Optus have set up online tools and SMS services to help individuals check device compatibility with the new network.

The network phase-out is part of a broader plan to expand the country’s 4G and 5G capacities, providing faster, more reliable coverage as fewer people rely on 3G services.

The trend follows global moves to shut down 3G networks as newer technologies become standard.

The United States largely phased out its 3G networks by 2022, while China followed suit in 2023.

Users can check device compatibility by sending an SMS with “3” to 3498 or by entering the device’s IMEI number into an online checker offered by the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association.