The opinion piece below was written by ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett for the Canberra Times and Australian Community Media about the 3G shutdown. It was originally published on 19 August 2024.

Many Australians are doing it tough right now and the challenges confronting rural and remote parts of the country are especially acute.

The bush has always struggled to secure essential services, be it doctors, teachers or trades. Communications services are equally essential.

That is why the shutdown of the 3G network is such a critical issue.

On Wednesday, Telstra and Optus announced they would delay the closure of 3G networks until October 28.

Shutting down the 3G network needs to happen, it is inevitable and it will provide greater benefits in freeing up spectrum on the 4G and 5G networks.

The shutdown - the timetable for which was set down five years ago - was to have happened at the end of the month.

But this new delay is to be applauded. The reality is there were real concerns that too many people were simply just not ready.

And this lack of readiness for the 3G shutdown literally posed a matter of life and death.

A report from a parliamentary inquiry, released last week, found that up to 380,000 mobile phones may be unable to make regular calls or reach triple zero emergency services when the nation's 3G networks were switched off.

While many older smartphones are 4G-enabled they default to the 3G network for triple zero calls, meaning those devices would be unable to contact triple zero once that network is shut.

Another big issue is medical and safety devices. It is estimated that approximately 200,000 medical alert devices rely on Australia's 3G mobile network.

Some equipment suppliers have been actively informing their customers about replacing their equipment if it will no longer work after the 3G shutdown. The Therapeutic Goods Administration and the medical devices industry have an important role to play here.

A very legitimate concern is the inability of manufacturers and sellers of unregistered devices to identify and contact customers to inform them about how the 3G shutdown may impact their equipment. This needs to be corrected.

And this reflects the nub of this issue. While the shutdown should happen and the five-year timeframe should have been adequate, we still face very serious risks given not everyone will be prepared.

The shutdown of 3G also impacts business viability and livelihoods.

Small businesses need to be fully informed and prepared. So do farmers. Are they aware of the impacts of the forthcoming shutdown on their automated systems and field equipment, including sensors which are reliant on the 3G network?

Electricity meters, farming devices, GPS systems, security systems, eftpos machines, medical alert systems and remote-controlled refrigeration systems can all be reliant on the 3G network.

This is why the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Australia's peak communications consumer body, called on the Communications Minister, Michelle Rowland, to exercise her discretionary powers and delay the 3G shutdown.

To their credit, mobile network operators have taken steps to prepare consumers for the forthcoming switch-off, including distributing free handsets to customers with older devices.

But we need reassurances that businesses that rely on 3G and people who are reliant on medical devices, low-income or otherwise vulnerable will not be left behind.

But the challenge now is to ensure people, especially the vulnerable, are ready the next time the deadline comes around in October.

A whole-of-ecosystem approach is needed from industry to minimise the impact on consumers. Optus and Telstra have committed to a joint public safety campaign which will reach more than 90 per cent of Australians.

However, device manufacturers beyond the mobile sector also need to step up in order to ensure that consumers are aware of the imminent disconnection of system critical devices including medical alarms.

Transitions like this are difficult. And there will always be some consumers that will resist change and not take the necessary action, sometimes no matter how often you consult with them.

But the government's first obligation must be to keep Australians safe and not undermine the viability of farms and businesses.

Now is the time to ensure that people will be safe, that our communities are prepared, and that the change will cause minimal harm and disruption. Australians need to check their devices. Not only mobile phones, but medical alert devices, sensory and monitoring systems and all connected devices that you or your business rely on.

People, especially in rural and remote parts of the country, must be prepared for the 3G shutdown. It will happen and this time we must be better prepared for the change.

Originally posted in the Canberra Times: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8731218/telstra-optus-delay-3g-shutdown-amid-safety-concerns