With just five weeks to go before Telstra and Optus begin to turn off their national 3G Networks, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) has warned all Australians to act now and upgrade their 3G mobile device.
Once all three Australian network mobile operators shut down their 3G networks, 3G devices and some 4G devices will not be supported and won’t be able to make emergency voice calls to Triple 0 on any Australian mobile network.
The 3G network has been in operation in Australia since the early 2000s but the vast majority of mobile network usage now is on the 4G and 5G networks, where data speeds are much faster.
TPG Telecom-owned Vodafone network closed its 3G network in January 2024.
Telstra will close its 3G network on 31st August 2024, and Optus will commence its 3G closure from September 2024.
AMTA encourages individuals with affected or old devices to properly dispose of them through MobileMuster, the official recycling scheme of the mobile industry.
For information about the closure of the 3G networks, please visit www.3Gclosure.com.au or your mobile network operator.