<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>326545</docID> <postdate>2024-08-14 10:48:06</postdate> <headline>Safety pressures telcos to delay 3G closure</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>Telstra and Optus are delaying the 3G network closure until October 28.</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Stephanie Gardiner</strong></span></p> <p><strong>The shutdown of the 3G network has been delayed after Australia's telcos came under fire over public safety risks.</strong></p> <p>Telstra and Optus jointly announced the companies would delay the 3G closure until October 28.</p> <p>Both telcos had been preparing to switch off from the end of August, but a Senate inquiry revealed thousands of handsets would not be able to make triple-zero calls after the shutdown.</p> <p>The inquiry was also told critical medial equipment, fire alarms, EFTPOS machines and waste and water infrastructure could be cut off in the shutdown.</p> <p>A joint statement from Telstra and Optus on Wednesday morning said the companies would undertake a mass public awareness campaign to ensure all users were aware they needed to upgrade their devices.</p> <p>The companies said it was critical customers checked their handsets were compatible with 4G and 5G and be aware if other devices, such as sensors and alarms, relied on 3G.</p> <p>But the telcos' executives both defended their actions in contacting customers in the years leading up to the end of 3G, which was flagged in 2019.</p> <p>"We have been communicating to customers about the need to prepare and make the move for almost five years," Telstra chief executive Vicki Brady said.</p> <p>Optus interim chief executive Michael Venter said the telco had "pulled out all the stops" in contacting and supporting customers.</p> <p>The federal government has been giving regular updates on the number of phones that will not connect to triple-zero after the closure.</p> <p>There were still 77,000 affected handsets in early August.</p> <p>These devices - often bought overseas or second-hand - use 4G data for regular calls and texts but bump triple-zero calls to 3G because they are not enabled with a technology called Voice over LTE.</p> <p>Users might not realise their phone is configured this way by the manufacturer until the 3G network is switched off.</p> <p>All telcos have a service for customers to check the status of their device by texting "3" to the number 3498.</p> </body>