Source: Unsplash/Poster Pos.
Australian small businesses have less than a week to remove their 3G devices before the network goes down, or risk losing connection to vital workplace technology.
Telstra and Optus will close their 3G mobile networks on Monday 28 October, in a full transition to 4G and 5G mobile networks.
Crucially, phones are not the only 3G technology that will be cut: some EFTPOS terminals, scanners, tablets, routers, security systems, fire alarms and farm gate sensors will no longer work on the network beyond October 28.
Telstra estimates that 3G devices will account for just 1% of total network traffic in 2024, with the vast majority of people and businesses switching to more advanced systems in recent years.
However, those who still rely on 3G technology will lose coverage unless they transition to newer devices.
Telstra says users with 3G mobile devices should upgrade to a 4G or 5G capable device that also supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE) by next Monday.
For phones, users can send an SMS ‘3’ to 3498 to get information about their mobile device.
Business and enterprise customers concerned about their non-mobile devices should contact their network provider for advice.
Scale and cost go beyond mobile phones
Major network providers alerted users to the 3G retirement plan in 2019, with both Telstra and Optus pushing back their closure date by two months to help users adapt.
Still, business advocates are concerned about those who haven’t yet gotten the message.
“I fear that many children, family members and agricultural companies “They are unaware of the scope of this event and the potential disconnection and business-damaging technological dysfunction they may face,” Bruce Billson, Australian Small Business and Family Business Ombudsman announced last week.
Previously, industry representatives expressed concerns about the cost of replacing outdated technology, especially for smaller companies.
Surveyors Australia, an industry group representing the surveying sector, told a Senate committee that replacing 3G-enabled units could cost $15,000 each.
“This is a significant and unexpected expense for an industry in which 70% of operators are small businesses,” the committee said in a interim report.
The committee also admitted that the full consequences of the closure may only become apparent after the fact.
“The full extent of non-mobile devices that could be affected is still unclear,” he said.
“For example, the department had only contacted the elevator industry to see if elevator emergency phones would continue to work during the week of our Senate hearing.
“While this is just one example, these issues raise the question of what other devices we don’t know about could be affected.”
The committee will publish a full report on the 3G network shutdown by November 30.
Never miss a story: sign up to SmartCompany free daily newsletter and find our best stories at LinkedIn.