Is your 4G device ready for the 3G network shutdown?

Just in case you’re not already aware: 3G network services are currently in phase-out. All carriers are expected to complete their 3G network service closure during 2024. You will require a 4G device with VoLTE calling capability to stay connected.

It's now been some years since all mobile carriers in Australia publicly announced the closure of their 3G networks. One of the main reasons for this is their limited amount of available spectrum. In fact, this spectrum is often repurposed to improve coverage and reliability on 4G networks to deliver more data at higher speeds.

Your 4G phone still might not work without 3G

Not all devices are equal - even if you've got a shiny 4G phone in your pocket, you might still need to do a quick check to ensure something called VoLTE is enabled. VoLTE stands for Voice over Long-Term Evolution, but don't worry about the jargon; all you need to know is that it's a fancy way of saying your phone uses 4G to make calls instead of relying on the old 3G network.

Thankfully, enabling VoLTE is usually a piece of cake. Just dive into your phone's settings, look for the "Voice & Data" or "Cellular" options, and toggle VoLTE on. It might be labelled differently depending on your phone, but a quick search in the settings should point you in the right direction.

NOTE: some older 4G phones may not have VoLTE capabilities and will be impacted by 3G network shutdowns.

For more information, refer to the following news article: Concerns for 4G phones without VoLTE

Enabling VoLTE on your device or phone might be labelled differently. 

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