General News
10 August, 2024
Senate's call to delay 3G shutdown
MAJOR telcos should delay switching off the 3G mobile phone network, a Senate committee has said. And Mallee MP Anne Webster wants Telstra and Optus to come to the party. Dr Webster said the switch to 4G should not happen until Mallee residents had...
MAJOR telcos should delay switching off the 3G mobile phone network, a Senate committee has said.
And Mallee MP Anne Webster wants Telstra and Optus to come to the party.
Dr Webster said the switch to 4G should not happen until Mallee residents had been assisted properly into 4G.
The Senate report recommended Communications Minister Michelle Rowland should use her powers to impose conditions on Telstra and Optus to guarantee equivalent coverage to 3G levels on the 4G changeover, if the carriers refused to do so.
“I called on Labor to act on this serious problem for regional health, our communities and farmers almost four months ago,” said Dr Webster.
“Labor are in a black spot of inaction for regional Australians who rely on the mobile network for emergency communications, their health devices and services, farm technologies and just to stay connected.”
Telstra had planed to shut its 3G signal by July but put the change back August 31.
Optus will switch off its 3G signal in September. An Optus spokesperson told the inquiry 176,000 handsets could be disconnected when 3G was switched off.
Telstra earlier this year told the Loddon Herald that local sites were ready for 4G and the telco has also been offering a handset replacement in rural areas.
The Costa Group told the Senate inquiry it was concerned their service provider could meet their timeline to provide access to the 4G network, stating: “The 3G network makes it possible to control and monitor our crops, including the operation of irrigation, fertigation and other key production plant and equipment. Without these, our crops and especially the yield and quality will be compromised. The losers from this will be the Australian population, who would likely face shortages and increased prices for fresh produce as a result.”
National Rural Health Alliance wrote that 3G shutdown issues were amplified in rural areas.