Australia Faces Potential Connectivity Issues as 3G Phase-Out May Impact Some 4G Devices

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a warning to mobile service users who are still using 3G-supported smartphones, informing them of the country’s discontinuation of this technology. This shift could potentially lead to the loss of connectivity for certain 4G devices as well.

ACMA has highlighted that the decommissioning of 3G will inevitably prevent subscribers from making calls, sending texts, or using any other communication functions. Australia’s leading network operators, Telstra and Optus, have announced that they will be phasing out 3G services by the end of the year. Vodafone, known locally as TPG Telecom, has already completed the shutdown of 3G across its networks.

However, it's not only the 3G smartphone users who may face connectivity issues. Devices that support 4G but do not have Voice over LTE (VoLTE) capabilities will also lose connectivity. These devices, which use 3G networks to make voice calls, could soon find themselves unable to communicate.

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) has emphasized the importance of preventing such a scenario. The discontinuation will not only affect smartphones with 3G but will also impact tablets, smartwatches, payment terminals, medical devices, and various emergency response tools. This wide-ranging effect highlights the critical nature of maintaining connectivity for all types of devices as the country transitions away from older network technologies.