3G Network Service Closure

We have switched off our 3G network

If your device is impacted- take action now.

3G Network Service Closure

3G closure has started - act now

The 3G network is closed

From 28 October 2024, the 3G network was switched off. Impacted devices include 3G and some 4G/5G phones, smartwatches, tablets, in-home personal emergency alarms, EFTPOS terminals, as well as fire or security alarms.

If you have received an SMS, email, call, letter, or recorded voice announcement- you must take action.

If you do not take action, your service may be at risk of disconnection.

Important: Triple Zero Impacted Devices

From 28 October 2024, Telstra is legally required to prevent mobile phones that cannot call emergency services (including triple zero) from accessing our network. This includes older 3G handsets, as well as some 4G/5G handsets. If your device is blocked, you will not be able to use that handset for voice or data.

Learn about the Emergency Call Service Determination

What should I do now?

Select your device type and follow the steps to stay connected.

VoLTE compatible phones and wearables sold by Telstra after January 2019 do not need any action. For other devices, follow these steps:

  1. Check for 4G or 5G

    The first step to check if your device is compatible is to look for ‘4G’ or ‘5G’ on the screen.

    Check your network settings

  2. Check for VoLTE

    Voice calls on 4G need a VoLTE-capable device on 700 MHz (Band 28). 

    For Telstra customers: To find out if your mobile phone is impacted SMS 3 to 3498. 

  3. Check your settings

    Check your device network is set to ‘automatic’ and VoLTE is enabled. Follow these steps:

    Set your network to automatic

  4. Need a new phone?

    If your device only shows ‘3G’, or it's not VoLTE-capable, you need to replace it to stay connected.

    Explore devices

How will Telstra help me with the transition or device replacement?

If you are using a 3G device and need help transitioning or finding a suitable replacement mobile device, please follow your organisations process to upgrade to a compatible device.

Telstra Enterprise Customers can self-serve a device replacement through Telstra Order Express or your Telstra Partner. 

Frequently asked questions

How does this affect me

The Australian government has passed legislation – a law – that requires us to prevent mobile phones that cannot call emergency services (including Triple Zero (000) ) from accessing our network. To comply with this law, Telstra is blocking devices that can’t call Triple Zero (000) after 3G closure on Telstra’s mobile network. Devices were blocked from 28 October in line with the network closure.

The devices which are impacted are 3G only, Non-VoLTE (4G data, 3G Voice) and VoLTE capable but require 3G for Triple Zero handsets.

No, if you’ve been blocked because you don’t have a compatible device, you cannot make any calls or use any data. While you may be able to use Wi-Fi, and apps, such as WhatsApp or Messenger, they do not allow for emergency calls including Triple Zero (000) calls.

If you’re visiting from overseas and your device isn’t compatible with our network, it will be blocked from connecting. This is instantaneous from when you first turn on your phone. Your phone will still work once you leave Australia, and can still be used with Wi-Fi.

Incompatible devices will be blocked from accessing our network from 28 October, and Tasmania will be the first state to have its 3G network switched off.

Tasmania 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’re using a device that was set up for another country (i.e. you bought it overseas, it was imported, or it’s second-hand and you’re not sure where it’s from), it may not connect to our 4G network or experience reduced coverage

That’s because Telstra’s main 4G frequency is band 28 (B28)/700MHz. But in many countries, this frequency isn’t used for 4G, so phones aren’t configured to use it.

If you do not upgrade to a compatible device, you may not have network connectivity in places where B28 is the only available 4G frequency (usually outside major cities/ regional hubs). This could also impact your ability to make calls to emergency services including Triple Zero (000).

We’ve upgraded our 4G network to match the coverage of our 3G network, as outlined in our network coverage maps.

Now that 3G is closed, compatible devices will use the available 4G network, as well as the 5G network if using a 5G compatible device.

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 improve 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 hear a recorded message on your phone about our 3G network closure, you need to take action to upgrade your device. You’ll hear the message if your device does not support 4G Band 28 (700Mhz).

You need to upgrade to a compatible device to avoid losing coverage in places where B28 is the only available frequency.

We can’t remove the message, as it’s vitally important to ensure you’re using a device capable of contacting emergency services including Triple Zero (000).

Once you’ve upgraded, the message will be removed, but it may take up to 24 hours to do so.

It's about providing a better experience for our customers.

When we launched 3G in 2006, we used our mobile devices for calls, texting and accessing basic information online. Since then, technology and customer usage has changed significantly, and so too must our 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.

There are several reasons to why VoLTE may work on one network and not another. This includes requiring your device to support Telstra specific settings that are part of a global VoLTE standard managed by the GSMA, the global organisation that supports the telecommunications industry. All carriers, including Telstra, follow these standards to enable voice calls on 4G (VoLTE). If your device manufacturer hasn’t included Telstra’s settings (which are published in the GSMA global device settings database), it might affect your ability to use VoLTE on Telstra's network. Further, device manufacturers simply may not have enabled VoLTE on their device when used with a Telstra SIM.

Blocking is done at the TAC level - the first 8 digits of the IMEI which identifies the device type. It doesn’t distinguish between who you are or where you’re from like a ‘per device’ IMEI solution would. Given the sheer volume of devices, it is not [currently] feasible or practical for Telstra to manage blocking individually which is why it’s done at the TAC level. Because of this,  it is not possible to remove the block on a single device IMEI.

we use multiple data sources to classify devices accurately. Since there's no industry wide, single source of truth, we continuously refine and validate our methods. These include:

  • Industry data: We include data from the GSMA (an international body that represents the telecom industry) to initially determine the capabilities of device types and models. We cannot solely rely on this database and further validation is required.
  • Telstra Device Testing: All devices sold through Telstra channels undergo rigorous testing to ensure compliance with our network, including voice, data and emergency calling capabilities.
  • Observed Device Behaviour: We analyse actual device behaviour using call data records, network engineering data and various other sources to aggregate information down to the device model (TAC) and software (SVN) level. This helps us determine if customers need to upgrade their device, software, or change settings.
  • Vendor Attestation: We get confirmation from device manufacturers and cross-check with our observations.

Telstra are not able to verify compatibility with devices that have had aftermarket modifications.

What this means for you

Global 3G decline

With the increased adoption of newer 4G and now 5G services, usage of 3G has declined globally

Network migration

We will decommission our 3G coverage in 2024. Grab this opportunity to migrate to faster and advanced services. Your 3G only devices will not work and your non-4G voice calling enabled 4G devices will not be able to make voice calls after this date.

Greater opportunities

With the increased adoption of newer 4G and now 5G servicLeveraging our mobile network infrastructure, our Cellular Low Power Wide Area Networks (Cellular LPWANs) are built specifically for scaled IoT deployments to give you better, cost-efficient coverage.es, usage of 3G has declined globally

More about NetworK

Guided transition

Contact your Telstra representative and plan your migration now.

Eligibility check

The available migration options are a recommendation only, Telstra will work with you to see what the best solution for your business would be.