Farmers, network providers weigh in on the 3G closure

Wilkur farmer Craig Henderson is one of many who replaced equipment ahead of the national 3G closure. He faced costs of more than $100,000.

Australia’s 3G devices have lost signal as major telecommunications companies closed the network today, leaving people without service if they failed to upgrade.

The shutdown was delayed by Telstra and Optus in August in a push to raise mass public awareness of the closure.

Wilkur farmer and VFF grains group president Craig Henderson said he faced costs of more than $100,000 to transition the systems in his co-owned major hire company.

He said he also needed to update the alarm system for his six chicken sheds, in the middle of harvest.

“It’s really annoying, we’re moving forward in technology and efficiency and our service industry is going backwards,” Mr Henderson said.

“Our TV reception is terrible, We’re trying to run modern, world-class businesses and we’re getting second-rate technology.”

He said they started the transition once it was announced by the major telecommunications companies, but was left with “no option and no compensation”.

NFF telecommunications chair and Roma farmer Peter Thompson said he believed most people would have prepared and it would be “fairly seamless”.

“It’s still so much better than it was, and it can be improved but we need to pull up and look at what we have got, and be aware of the data we are currently using,” he said.

“I’ve seen the switchover from CDMA to digital, digital to 2G, 2G to NextG, then 3G.

“The main thing is, if there are issues when the swapover comes, don’t panic.”

Affected devices could include mobile phones, smart watches, smart tablets, modems, fire alarms, security cameras, farm machinery and medical devices.

NSW Farmers rural affairs committee chair Deb Charlton said at minimum, the new coverage should be equivalent or better than the pre-existing 3G network coverage.

“This shutdown will not just affect mobile phones, but the farm machinery that we all rely on to produce the food and fibre for the nation,” she said.

Telstra monitored 18,000 3G-only handsets from October 24, 70,000 non-VoLTE handsets, and less than 500 4G VoLTE capable handsets unable to call triple-0.

“These represent just 0.3pc of the total devices on Telstra’s network,” a Telstra spokesman said.

An Optus spokesman said affected customers had collectively received more than 10-million messages about handset replacements, alongside a six-week public awareness campaign.

They said the company offered 20,000 no-cost handsets to select customers, particularly those facing financial hardship.