Over the five years since we announced the closure, we have communicated directly with customers about the closure and the need to upgrade any tech that depends on 3G for connectivity. In the last few weeks we have been running a public awareness campaign with Optus and AMTA to encourage any customers remaining on 3G to act.
Under a new federal regulation that comes into effect next week, when we start closing the 3G network, we will be required to block some mobile phones. These phones aren’t compatible with our network because they depend on 3G for Triple Zero calls.
From 12.01am 28 October we will begin blocking all devices which aren’t able to call Triple Zero to ensure we’re complying with this new law. From there, we will progressively begin to close down our 3G network so it’s important to be ready by 28 October to ensure service continuity.
Tasmania will be the first state to have its 3G network switched off. It is a state that doesn’t share borders so we’re able to have better control of the overall experience to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible before we close down the mainland states and territories.
The rest of Australia will be completed by Monday 4 November, so while this is a progressive closure, it is relatively quick, and we urge you to check your tech and take any necessary actions in the next few days.
If you require any support or help during the closure, please reach out to our team.
The backbone of our 4G network relies on the 700MHz spectrum also known as Band 28, which is commonly used throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia. In some rural parts of Australia, 700MHz spectrum is the only spectrum in operation on Telstra’s network, and if your phone is not capable of using this spectrum, your device will not operate in these areas*.
The good news is, if you’ve bought a 4G or 5G device from us since 2019 it supports this frequency. However, if you’ve bought a device overseas, or use an overseas refurbished device, it might not support the Asia-Pacific 700MHz frequency.
If you do have a device that doesn’t support 700MHz, you may experience reduced coverage.
Not all 4G phones have VoLTE and/or are compatible with the Telstra network. Mobile phones, especially phones acquired overseas or from online retailers who ship from warehouses overseas, could be configured for different countries or regions to Australia, where the network capabilities are different to those in Australia. Handset manufacturers will configure devices to meet the network capabilities of the country or countries for which those devices are intended.
You can find more information on VoLTE requirements here.
We’ve upgraded our 4G network to match the coverage of our 3G network as outlined in our coverage maps. Until the 3G network is fully closed, some devices may still connect to 3G, but after closure, all compatible devices will use the available 4G or 5G network.
The Telstra Mobile Network is Australia’s largest, with 4G reaching 99.7 per cent of the Australian population and 5G to over 89 per cent, providing a more reliable coverage experience in more places across Australia. This will continue to grow as we repurpose 3G spectrum to further advance both 4G and 5G networks, which will further increase overall network capacity and improve service quality for many customers
If you require any support please call us, visit us in store or chat to us online.
*If the device is VoLTE/WiFi Calling capable it will be able to make emergency calls using WiFi
