TELECOMMUNICATIONS services using 3G networks will cease to exist as of 28 October.

The shutdown is to improve the capacity, speed and reliability of the 4G network and to roll out 5G to more Australians.

More than mobile phones will be affected according to the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA).

“Impacted devices may include phones, smartwatches, tablets, in-home personal emergency alarms, EFTPOS terminals and fire and security alarms,” it advises on its website amta.org.au/3g-closure/.

“Some early 4G handsets don’t support 4G voice calling, which means they use the 3G network… after the closure, these devices will not be able to make a call.

“There are also a number of devices that support normal 4G voice calls but force emergency calls to 3G, so these phones won’t be able to make an emergency call after the closure.”

Older phones used 3G for Triple Zero (000) calls because, being a lower radio frequency range, it had wider geographical coverage – much like how AM radio stations can be picked up farther out than FM.

However, that advantage will be eliminated entirely when the telcos close 3G.

A Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee report found that up to 77,000 mobile phone users would be unable to call Triple Zero.

A submission by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts stated that there may be over 300,000 devices in circulation that use 4G normally, but rely on 3G for emergency calls.

Other non-phone devices that may be affected include water and electricity meters, farm monitoring and diagnostic equipment, medical devices, emergency phones in elevators, and safety and asset tracking devices.

Despite first heralding the 3G shutdown back in June, the deadline has been pushed back twice to allow for the message to spread to those who need to hear it.

Vodafone/TPG customers already lost 3G services back in January.

The easiest way for anyone else with a mobile phone to check their device is to simply text the digit “3” to the number “3498”, and within seconds a message appears advising what action to take – if any.

Mobile service providers all publish coverage maps on their websites.

More information can also be found on the AMTA website.

By Thomas O’KEEFE