3G to be shut down in Australia: Vodafone, Tesltra and Optus to modify off the outdated networks
Twenty years because the 3G cell phone and information community was rolled out throughout Australia, it is come to the top of its life-cycle.
From December, the most important telcos might be switching off their 3G networks – Vodafone on December 15, then Telstra June 30, 2024, and eventually Optus in September.
For those who bought your handset in the previous couple of years, likelihood is you are related to the current-generation 5G community – even 4G handsets get the job completed, solely hitting the occasional cell black spot.
However for these of us nonetheless strolling round with early-2000s mannequin telephones and gadgets, it’s possible you’ll be questioning what the change goes to imply for you and your less-than-current items of tech.
Twenty years because the 3G cell phone and information community was rolled out throughout Australia, it is come to the top of its life-cycle
WHAT IS 3G?
The 3G cell community is the third era of world telecommunications networks.
Each 10 years or so a brand new era is launched, therefore why 3G has since been changed by 4G, and 4G was surpassed by the present 5G community – all relationship again to the unique analog 1G community relationship again to the early Eighties.
If you wish to get technical, 3G networks switch info at a charge of at the very least 144 kilobits-per-second (kbit/s), 4G is 30 megabits-per-second (Mbit/s), and 5G is 50 Mbit/s.
5G began rolling out in 2019, so any 6G expertise continues to be in its infancy.
As new applied sciences come on-line, the outdated networks are repurposed to assist assist the newer networks in a course of referred to as ‘re-farming.’
From December, the most important telcos might be switching off their 3G networks – Vodafone on December 15, then Telstra June 30, 2024, and eventually Optus in September (pictured, Keanu Reeves within the Matrix, with the actor utilizing a Nokia 8110)
HOW MANY DEVICES STILL USE 3G?
Gross sales director with M2M Connectivity Anthony Petts in February informed TelcoNews he estimates there are between two million and three million gadgets nonetheless reliant on the 3G community in Australia.
‘The truth of the 3G shutdown is that when the sign is switched off, all 3G-based companies and gadgets will stop to function,’ Mr Petts mentioned.
‘This contains flood monitoring methods in regional Australia, GPS methods on ambulances, ‘man down’ dongles in care houses, and even site visitors sign methods.’
This implies some companies might want to transition earlier than their telco of selection shuts off their 3G community.
But it surely additionally means tens of millions of Australians who have not opted for a tool improve in almost 20 years might lastly need to chunk the technological bullet and go for a brand new 5G system.
Gross sales director with M2M Connectivity Anthony Petts in February informed TelcoNews he estimates there are between two million and three million gadgets nonetheless reliant on the 3G community in Australia
SHOULD I BE WORRIED?
Editor & Tech Commentator for EFTM.com, Trevor Lengthy, says it should not fear anybody who’s purchased a cellphone within the final 5 years or so.
‘The larger danger is to folks with extraordinarily outdated telephones, which – regardless of 5G being 5 years outdated, and 4G being a decade greater than that – do not even connect with 4G,’ Mr Lengthy says.
So if you happen to’re fearful about your outdated flip cellphone, candybar cellphone, or first-gen smartphone, one of the best ways to seek out out is contact the producer immediately.
The shutdown is probably going most regarding to these utilizing medical gadgets which nonetheless use the 3G community, with Mr Lengthy saying it is a massive danger for ‘related medical gadgets.’
‘Not simply because they could be outdated gadgets,’ he says, ‘however much more current gadgets bought simply 5 years in the past may not have had 4G capabilities.
‘So there is a danger folks will suppose this does not apply to them as a result of they solely acquired the system 5 years in the past, but actually they could be left with a tool that merely fails to work at a very powerful time in a yr from now.’
As soon as once more, one of the best factor to do is contact the producer to see in case your related medical system is affected, and if they’ll provide an alternate.
Vodafone would be the first telco to close down their 3G community. A web page on their web site has info for patrons, and says these shutdowns have occurred earlier than, like when the 2G community was re-farmed
WHAT ARE THE TELCOS SAYING?
Vodafone would be the first telco to close down their 3G community. A page on their website has info for patrons, and says these shutdowns have occurred earlier than, like when the 2G community was re-farmed.
‘Vodafone’s licence to entry 3G spectrum (the invisible electromagnetic frequencies that transmit cell information) is ready to run out in mid-2024,’ reads a Vodafone assertion.
‘Though most prospects hardly ever must entry 3G, we wish to be sure prospects have the suitable discover and to supply assist to those that want help.’
Australia’s largest telco, Telstra, shut down their 3G protection on June 30.
‘As prospects transfer from 3G to take up the advantages of newer expertise, we’ll be repurposing the 850MHz spectrum, presently used to offer 3G protection, to assist our 5G rollout,’ reads Telstra’s own information page regarding the shutdown.
PHONE/INTERNET COMPLAINTS
However additionally they admit some wearable gadgets, like Apple Watch Collection 3, 4, 5, Samsung Galaxy Watch, and Galaxy Watch Active2 might even see a discount in service areas.
And Optus follows suit in September 2024, going so far as to contact prospects they imagine might be affected by the 3G shutdown.
Your telco also can assist in case your transition away from 3G is so simple as altering some settings in your system, which would be the case in some cases.
