<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>322940</docID> <postdate>2024-07-18 16:06:01</postdate> <headline>Thousands of phone users not ready to hang up on 3G</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-315777" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_7750-resized-e1716449534587.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>More than 100,000 mobile phones across the nation that are not compatible with 4G.</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Stephanie Gardiner</b> in Orange</span></p> <div class="wire-column__preview__text" id="preview-body"> <p><strong>The major telcos are under mounting pressure to ensure every Australian can connect to triple-zero when the 3G network shuts down from next month.</strong></p> <p>Telstra is due to switch off the ageing network on August 31, having extended its original June closure deadline, while Optus will shutdown from September.</p> <p>TPG/Vodafone shut its 3G operation in January.</p> <p>But there are still 102,000 mobile phones across the nation that are not compatible with 4G, according to latest industry figures provided to the government.</p> <p>These devices - often bought overseas or second-hand - use 4G data for <a href="https://www.bossrevolution.com/en-au/services/international-calling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regular calls and texts</a>, but drop triple-zero calls to 3G because they are not enabled with a technology called Voice over LTE.</p> <p>Users may not realise their phone is configured this way by the manufacturer until the 3G network is switched off and they need to call the emergency line.</p> <p>The number of these devices in use has reduced from 740,000 in March, after the government formed an industry working group.</p> <p>The telcos' significant effort to reach affected customers is encouraging, but more needs to be done, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said.</p> <p>"The government is keen to see this work ramp-up and continue," Ms Rowland said on Thursday.</p> <p>"All Australians must have confidence in the triple-zero service.</p> <p>"I encourage everyone to check their own device, speak to friends, family and loved ones about the 3G switchover and reach out directly to their service providers for further information."</p> <p>Telstra and Optus have a service for customers to check the status of their device by texting "3" to the number 3498.</p> <p>Users will also hear a pre-recorded message on non-emergency outgoing calls if they need to upgrade their phones.</p> <p>Optus research released last week identified suburbs and regions with the highest number of incompatible devices, where many residents are native Mandarin, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Korean speakers.</p> <p>Some areas may have large cohorts of international university students.</p> <p>The city suburbs with the highest number of affected devices on the Optus network were Melbourne's CBD and Sydney's Macquarie Park, Marsfield and Millers Point.</p> <p>Top regional areas were Port Hedland, Western Australia, Cairns and Sarina in Queensland and Griffith and Orange in NSW.</p> <p>Optus was using the research to target those demographics through social and local media.</p> <p>Both telcos said they have been improving their 4G and 5G coverage in the lead-up to the 3G closure.</p> <p>Optus will offer 20,000 eligible customers - including those suffering financial hardship and the elderly - a free handset to make the change.</p> <p>The telco is also offering existing post-paid customers up to $400 off any handset on an eligible plan to upgrade from 3G and $1 per month contracts under 24- or 36-month terms on select handsets.</p> </div> </body>