Hundreds of thousands of Aussies at risk of being unable to make emergency calls as 3G networks cut off

An estimated 370,000 Australians will be left without the ability to make emergency calls when 3G networks switch to new technology later this year.

The problem is with phones that use 4G for voice and data but are configured by the manufacturer to use 3G for triple 0 calls.

The transition from 3G is expected to be completed by September, thereafter Telstra has postponed its closure from June 30 to August 31 so people will have more time to transfer their devices.

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Optus will also end 3G services in Septemberwhile Vodafone and TPG customers have been unable to use the 3G network since December.

The network shutdown plan was announced in 2019, allowing for increased data and internet speeds for 4G and 5G technologies.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland confirmed the number of people still potentially affected on Tuesday morning, while speaking to ABC Gippsland.

“What we found out early this year was that there were some devices that would be affected by the change in this pass,” Rowland said.

“Some of them in particular are a subset of phones. So 4G phones that use 4G for voice and data but are actually configured by the manufacturer to use 3G for calls to triple-0.

“So that’s the problem area with these devices because if you have a pure 3G device, an older device, you’ll know from day one that it’s not working when the switch happens, but you won’t know that you can’t dial triple -0 on a 4G device until you really need it. “

It was estimated earlier this year that about 740,000 people would be affected, Rowland said.

“So it’s greatly reduced,” she said. “But it’s still an area of ​​great concern.”

The “shocking” number is still affected

The large number of people who will still be affected by the network switch has been criticized by the federal opposition, who called it “shocking”.

“The fact that 370,000 4G devices are still in use that will not be able to make triple 0 calls when 3G is switched off is a shocking indictment of this minister,” said shadow communications minister David Coleman.

“People were warning the minister a year ago that this would be a problem with some 4G phones, yet she claims she only found out about the problem in March this year.

“Senate forecasts have learned in recent days that an IT and networking expert wrote to the minister about the problem with some 4G phones in June last year, but he was misled by the department.

“Now that the 3G clock is ticking down over the coming months, the Minister is desperate to catch up, with hundreds of thousands of devices still at risk.

“Today the minister was again talking about the option of using his powers to delay the shutdown. But we wouldn’t be in this situation if the government had actively dealt with this a year ago when it was warned.