Thousands of devices to stop working from today as 3G shutdown hits

Tens of thousands of mobile phones will be obsolete on Monday, and if you own one of them, don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Telstra and Optus will shut down their 3G mobile networks from Monday to boost the capacity, speed and reliability of their 4G and 5G networks.

Vodafone has already shut down its 3G network.

At last count, about 59,000 devices in the country still needed to be updated over the weekend, otherwise the device will no longer be able to even make emergency calls.

“From 12.01am 28 October we will begin blocking all devices which aren’t able to call triple-0 to ensure we’re complying with this new law,” Telstra wrote in a statement.

“Under new federal legislation that comes into effect next week, when we start closing the 3G network, we will be required to block some mobile phones.

“These phones aren’t compatible with our network because they depend on 3G for triple-0 calls.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos February 06, 2024: A generic photograph of people on their phone in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Telstra said Tasmania would be the first state to have its 3G network switched off.

“It is a state that doesn’t share borders so we’re able to have better control of the overall experience to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible before we close down the mainland states and territories,” Telstra said.

“The rest of Australia will be completed by Monday 4 November, so while this is a progressive closure, it is relatively quick, and we urge you to check your tech and take any necessary actions in the next few days.”

Optus says it has sent more than 10 million messages to customers warning them of the 3G shut off. Picture: NewsWire /Gaye Gerard

Optus head of new products Harvey Wright previously told NewsWire the telco had sent more than 10 million messages to affected customers in their base, including giving directions on how to get support throughout the process.

“To maintain connectivity customers need to get a compatible device. We are providing a range of different options for those customers,” he said.

“We recognise we are in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, so we are providing customers with a range of discounted and zero cost devices to help with that upgrade process.”

Mr Wright said while the upgrade would help improve the reliability, capacity and speed in Australia, it wouldn’t just be mobile devices that were impacted but potentially other devices such as tablets and dongles.

Customers may be using a device that is:

• Still reliant on 3G

• A 4G device that uses 3G for emergency calls

• An overseas or grey market device that isn’t compatible with Australian 4G technology

If you’re not sure if your mobile will work after the closure, SMS 3 to 3498 to check.

Originally published as Thousands of devices to stop working from today as 3G shutdown hits