Australia's 3G Network Shutdown: What You Need to Know

Which Devices Are Affected and What to Do Next

Has your alarm system, EFTPOS terminal, vehicle tracker, medical alarm, or other connected device suddenly stopped working? The nationwide shutdown of Australia's 3G mobile network is the most likely cause. This guide explains what happened, which devices are affected, and what needs to be done to restore connectivity.

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What Happened and Why

Australian telecommunication carriers have decommissioned their 3G networks. Telstra completed its 3G shutdown in August 2024. Optus completed its shutdown in September 2024. Vodafone shut down 3G in January 2024.

The reason is spectrum refarming. The radiofrequency spectrum previously used by 3G networks is being reallocated to 4G and 5G services. 4G and 5G are significantly more efficient: they deliver more data capacity to more users in the same amount of spectrum. Shutting down 3G allows carriers to redeploy that spectrum for modern services.

This was not a surprise announcement. All three major carriers provided years of advance notice and communicated repeatedly with customers about the shutdown dates. Despite this, a large number of devices remained on 3G at the time of shutdown, particularly in commercial and industrial settings where upgrade cycles are slower.

Devices That Are Affected

The 3G shutdown affects any device that uses an embedded 3G module for its mobile communication. This is far broader than mobile phones. A wide range of commercial, industrial, and safety-critical equipment installed throughout the 2000s and 2010s used 3G as its primary or backup communication method.

  • Security and alarm systems — Monitored alarm panels that use a 3G SIM as their primary or backup path to the monitoring centre.
  • EFTPOS and payment terminals — Older mobile payment terminals that process transactions over 3G.
  • Vehicle and asset trackers — GPS fleet management systems installed over the last decade often use 3G modules for position reporting and two-way communication.
  • Medical alarms and personal emergency response systems — Personal medical alarms worn by elderly or vulnerable people that dial out over 3G when activated.
  • Emergency lift phones — Emergency communication phones in lifts and elevators frequently used 3G for their regulatory-required connection.
  • Building management systems — HVAC controllers, energy monitors, and access control systems with 3G backup communication.
  • Agricultural and remote monitoring equipment — Irrigation controllers, bore pump monitors, and weather stations in regional areas.
  • Fixed wireless broadband devices — Older 3G fixed wireless routers used for internet access in areas without fixed-line coverage.

Fleet and Asset Management

Fleet management is one of the most significantly affected sectors. Most commercial vehicle tracking and fleet management systems installed before 2018 use embedded 3G modules. When 3G shut down, these systems lost the ability to report vehicle position, log driver behaviour, receive dispatch instructions, or send alerts.

What fleet operators need to do

The 3G module in a vehicle tracker or telematics unit cannot be software-updated to 4G. The hardware must be replaced. This means physically removing the old 3G unit from each vehicle and installing a new 4G or 5G-capable replacement.

For large fleets this is a significant undertaking. Key steps are:

  • Audit your fleet management hardware. Contact your fleet management provider and request a list of which vehicles have 3G units still installed. Many providers completed proactive upgrades before the shutdown but some did not.
  • Identify vehicles that have gone dark. Any vehicle that stopped reporting position data around the time of the 3G shutdown in your carrier's network likely has an unupgraded 3G unit.
  • Schedule unit replacement. Replacement typically requires a short out-of-service period per vehicle. Coordinate with your fleet management provider or a qualified automotive electrician.
  • Verify connectivity after replacement. Confirm new units are reporting correctly before returning vehicles to service.

For asset trackers (trailers, containers, plant equipment), the same process applies. Many asset trackers have their own internal battery and SIM, making them somewhat easier to swap than hard-wired vehicle units.

Security Alarms and Monitored Systems

Monitored security alarms are one of the highest-risk categories for the 3G shutdown. An alarm system that cannot communicate with the monitoring centre provides no protection: activations are not received, and the property owner may not know the communication path has failed.

Modern alarm communicators use multiple communication paths: typically broadband internet (NBN or fixed ethernet) as the primary path, and 4G mobile as the backup. If your alarm system was installed more than five years ago and has not been updated, there is a significant chance its 4G backup communicator is either absent or was never installed.

What to check

  • Contact your monitoring company and ask them to confirm the communication paths currently registered for your alarm system.
  • Ask specifically whether a mobile backup path is configured, and whether it is 4G or was 3G.
  • If a 3G communicator was the backup, ask your alarm installer to replace it with a 4G communicator module.
  • After the upgrade, ask the monitoring company to confirm successful test signals have been received via the new path.

Medical Alarms and Emergency Equipment

Personal medical alarm devices worn by elderly or vulnerable people are among the most critical 3G-affected devices. These devices must be operational at all times. If the device has not been proactively upgraded by the service provider, it may not call for help when activated.

If you manage or support someone who uses a personal medical alarm:

  • Contact the medical alarm service provider directly and confirm the device has been upgraded to 4G.
  • Test the device by pressing the alert button and confirming the monitoring centre receives the call.
  • If the device is not upgradeable, the provider should supply a replacement 4G unit.

Emergency lift phones are subject to Australian Standard AS 1735.12 and must maintain a working communication path at all times. Building owners and facility managers should confirm with their lift maintenance contractor that any 3G emergency phone communicators have been replaced.

The Solution: Upgrading to 4G or 5G

There is no workaround for a 3G device. The embedded 3G radio hardware cannot be updated to 4G via software. The only solution is hardware replacement: either replacing the entire device or replacing the communication module inside it where the manufacturer offers an upgrade path.

When specifying replacement hardware, confirm:

  • The new device supports 4G LTE as a minimum. 5G is available in most metropolitan areas and is future-proof but 4G LTE will remain operational for many years.
  • The device supports the correct 4G frequency bands for Australia. Australian 4G networks operate primarily on bands 3, 7, 28, and 40. Band 28 (700MHz) is particularly important for regional coverage.
  • The SIM in the old device is a 3G-only SIM. Many carriers issued 3G-only SIMs with 3G devices. These SIMs will not work in a 4G device and must be replaced with a 4G-capable SIM from the carrier.

Accessories for the Upgrade

When an installer replaces a 3G module with a new 4G gateway or communicator, the replacement hardware almost always requires supporting accessories to complete the installation correctly.

A new power supply with the correct voltage and connector type is nearly always required, as the new 4G device will have different power requirements to the old 3G unit. A new Ethernet patch cable is typically needed to connect the 4G gateway to the alarm panel, building management system, or network switch. Antenna cables and external antennas may also be required if the installation is in a location with marginal mobile signal.

Access Communications stocks a full range of power supplies, Ethernet patch cables, and cable accessories for upgrade installations. Our technical team can assist with specifying the correct power supply voltage and connector type for your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my device uses 3G?

Check the device specifications or the label on the device itself. Look for terms like "3G", "WCDMA", "HSPA", or "UMTS" in the connectivity specifications. If the device was purchased before 2018 and has a SIM card, there is a reasonable chance it uses 3G. If the specifications only list "4G LTE", "LTE-A", or "5G" with no mention of 3G, the device should still work.

My alarm system stopped working. Is it because of the 3G shutdown?

Very likely yes if it stopped around August to October 2024. Contact your alarm monitoring company first. They can check their records to confirm whether your system's last successful communication was around the shutdown dates and advise whether a communicator upgrade is required.

Can a 3G device be software updated to work on 4G?

No. 3G and 4G use different radio hardware. A device with a 3G radio module cannot be updated to use 4G through a software or firmware update. The hardware must be replaced.

Will my 3G SIM card work in a new 4G device?

Not necessarily. Many SIM cards issued with 3G devices are 3G-only SIMs. If you insert a 3G SIM into a 4G device, it may not connect to the 4G network. Contact your carrier to confirm whether your SIM is 4G capable, and request a free SIM replacement if it is not.

Does the 3G shutdown affect early 4G devices?

Some early 4G devices (released around 2012 to 2014) used 4G for data but fell back to 3G for voice calls using a technology called CSFB (Circuit Switched Fallback). These devices may have lost voice call capability when 3G shut down even though they show a 4G data connection. Check with your carrier if you have an older 4G device that can no longer make or receive calls.

Who is responsible for upgrading my monitored alarm system?

Typically your alarm installer or monitoring company. Most reputable monitoring companies proactively contacted customers before the shutdown and arranged upgrades. If yours did not, contact them now and request a 4G communicator upgrade. The cost and responsibility varies by contract.

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