3G LIFT PHONE SHUT DOWN

Australian 3G network:

Australian 3G mobile network is shutting down.

With the carriers announcing shutdown of the 3G mobile network, it is time to start planning your migration roll out now.

Although the carriers each have a different schedule for the closure, the end game is the same.

The reported but unconfirmed dates for the major carriers are:

• Vodafone December 2023 – https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/network/3g-closure
• Telstra June 2024 – https://www.telstra.com.au/business-enterprise/support/3g-service-closure
• Optus September 2024 – https://www.optus.com.au/support/mobiles-tablets-wearables/important-changes-3g

So, what is 3G?

The 3G mobile network is the third generation of global telecommunications networks.

Every 10 years or so a new generation is released, hence why 3G has since been replaced by 4G, and 4G was surpassed by the current 5G network — all dating back to the original analogue 1G network dating back to the early 1980s.

If you want to get technical, 3G networks transfer information at a rate of at least 144 kilobits-per-second (kbit/s), 4G is 30 megabits-per-second (Mbit/s), and 5G is 50 Mbit/s.

5G started rolling out in 2019, so any 6G technology is still in its infancy.

What does this mean:

The reality of the 3G shutdown is that once the signal is switched off, 3G only based services will cease to operate.

This includes some lift phone diallers, mobile phone handsets or tablets/iPad, flood monitoring systems in regional Australia, GPS systems on ambulances, ‘man down’ dongles in care homes, and even traffic signal systems just to name a few.

This means some businesses and consumers will need to transition before their telco of choice shuts off their 3G network.

But it also means millions of Australians who haven’t opted for a device upgrade in nearly two decades may finally have to bite the technological bullet and go for new equipment.

So what do I need to do:

In short, you’ll need to ensure your current equipment is compatible with the 4G or 5G networks, or you will need to purchase replacement equipment that is compatible with the 4G or 5G networks if you want to keep accessing services.

If your body corporate has still not implemented a plan to migrate your 3G only devices to a new technology, you will need to plan now as failure to fully migrate will cause disruptions in your critical functions such as lift phones, which also may affect your lift registration certificate.

Burtech can assist you with planning, installation, and migration of your services, however time is of the essence.

Article Contributed by Rob Burrell, Burtech