Need to know
- Australians have reported losing mobile phone coverage following the 3G shutdown, despite telcos saying their guaranteed coverage areas are the same as they were before
- Confusion over what's causing the issue remains, but some consumers who lost 3G may have been receiving it accidentally
- A Senate committee says government and telcos should assist those affected by helping provide equipment and rolling out new forms of coverage
A Senate inquiry has called on the federal government and telcos to do more to help Australians who have lost mobile phone coverage following the 3G shutdown.
Some consumers say they've found it harder to get service to their phones and other devices since Australia's 3G networks were switched off late last year.
A committee of Senators from various parties has conducted an inquiry and recommended the federal government work with telcos to help Australians buy boosters and other equipment to improve their connections.
They've also called on the government and businesses to accelerate the introduction of new ways of delivering mobile phone services.
On this page:
- What's been happening since the 3G shutdown?
- Why consumers are losing coverage
- Government and telcos told to do more
- What to do if you've lost coverage
What's been happening since the 3G shutdown?
Australia has been without 3G for over four months, ever since Telstra and Optus turned off their networks at the end of October last year.
At the time, both telcos said anyone using compatible phones or other devices in areas where they had guaranteed 3G coverage could expect to still receive the same coverage, except now via 4G or 5G.
The telcos remain confident their 4G coverage is equivalent to that of 3G, but a sizeable number of consumers beg to differ.
Several CHOICE supporters and members of the public have come forward saying their mobile phone reception has become worse since the 3G shutdown.
Connections lost in regional areas
For CHOICE member Gordon Garradd, mobile coverage serves as an important safety back-up on his bike rides around regional New South Wales.
He uses a bike computer that can send an alert via his phone to a close contact if it detects he has had an accident.
But since last October, he's been receiving more alerts via his computer warning him that his phone signal has dropped-out.
"I [would previously] get occasional drops, but not very often. But since the 3G cut-off, I seem to have significantly more," he says.
The issue is undermining the system he's relying on to secure help in an emergency.
"It's less effective than it used to be," he concludes. "The areas where it doesn't work are much larger now."
The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) says some of its members have reported that areas with reliable coverage prior to the shutdown have since become blackspots
Gordon isn't the only regional Australian finding phone coverage less reliable after 3G was switched off. Loss of coverage and drops in the reliability of mobile phone services have emerged as significant issues in rural communities.
The National Farmers' Federation (NFF) says some of its members have reported that areas with reliable coverage prior to the shutdown have since become blackspots.
It says many farmers have faced consistent call dropouts and that some have had to spend tens of thousands of dollars on mobile signal boosters and other equipment in attempts to regain connection.
Another farming representative group, GrainGrowers, says a majority of the members it has consulted also reported a reduction in mobile coverage since the shutdown.
Advocates have made the point that consumers aren't just losing voice and SMS services, but also connection to the internet via apps on mobile devices – something they say has become crucial to farmers' businesses amid the increasing digitisation of agriculture.
Starlink on the rise as consumers switch to new services
Farmers frustrated with poor mobile coverage are switching to Satellite-based services like Starlink. Image: Starlink
These farming groups say many of their members are switching to new satellite-based services after becoming frustrated with poor traditional mobile coverage.
Popular alternatives include Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems, which have been touted by telcos as an increasingly viable option for keeping more people in regional and remote areas connected.
One emerging LEO option is Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk's company SpaceX, which already provides fixed broadband internet to over 200,000 Australian customers.
In a sign of its popularity, people wanting access to Starlink in some parts of Australia are already having to go on a waitlist for its services.
Why consumers are losing coverage
The issue of lost connectivity across regional Australia has been a key focus of the committee of federal senators conducting an inquiry into the 3G shutdown.
Seeking to uncover the cause of the issue, the committee has questioned representatives of Telstra and Optus about why customers still paying the same amount for services are reporting reduced coverage.
Telcos say devices often to blame
Telstra and Optus have consistently maintained that problems with someone's device, rather than a telco's coverage, are often behind the issues consumers are facing in the wake of the 3G shutdown.
Prior to the switch-off, CHOICE highlighted how some 4G-enabled phones could lose connection once 3G disappeared because they were older handsets or refurbished models originally designed for overseas markets.
We also discovered some of these devices were still being sold to consumers by major retailers in the weeks leading up to 3G being turned off.
Fortuitous connections
Some regional Australians may have been receiving coverage outside a telco's guaranteed area.
The telcos also say some people who have lost coverage weren't technically meant to have it in the first place.
While maintaining that anyone with a suitable device inside what was previously a guaranteed 3G coverage area should now be receiving at least 4G, the companies say anyone who was receiving and relying on 3G from outside their advertised footprints may now be in trouble.
Under questioning from the investigating committee, the telcos described this so-called 'fortuitous coverage' as unpredictable, making it hard for them to work out how many people may have lost it.
But representatives from the NFF told the committee the numbers are noticeable, highlighting that some farmers have invested in facilities such as shearing sheds and weather stations on the basis of coverage that wasn't actually guaranteed.
The NFF also told the committee that, to make matters worse, they've heard from some people who, even though they were residing within a guaranteed coverage area, have also suffered diminished call quality.
Government and telcos told to do more
After hearing from these stakeholders, the committee has delivered a final report which calls on the federal government and Australia's telcos to focus on implementing solutions to the mobile malaise.
Noting the large sums some consumers have already spent trying to get better service, they've recommended the government and telcos co-fund a program to help residents in rural and remote areas purchase any required equipment.
The committee says the initiative could, for example, provide subsidies to people to help them buy signal boosters to get better access to 4G.
They also agree with telcos that LEO technology could be a reliable way to keep regional and remote residents connected in the future.
Telstra already works with Starlink to provide internet access and plans to use the company's satellites to establish a direct-to-handset (DTH) service that would allow people to use the technology to send text messages in remote areas. It says similar DTH voice services are also a possibility.
Telstra already works with Starlink to provide internet access and plans to use the company's satellites to establish a direct-to-handset service
In their report, the Senate committee recommended the federal government and telcos "do all they can" to accelerate the introduction of these direct-to-mobile LEO services.
Finally, the committee also recommended the government increase the scope of a three-year audit it's currently undertaking to better identify Australia's mobile coverage blackspots.
The committee has called on the government to carry this exercise into off-road areas, including private farms, in order to create "a truly representative map" of areas lacking coverage.
In response to questions from CHOICE, Telstra and Optus didn't directly address the committee's recommendations, but said they acknowledged the insights it had provided.
Both companies also recognised that the 3G shutdown had been challenging for some consumers, but maintained that the opportunity it provided to roll out faster networks has benefited many others.
Politicians say government and telcos should help introduce satellite-based mobile services.
New plans from government as advocates respond
The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) also welcomed the recommendations, but argues the fact that consumers continue to feel the effects of the phasing-out of 3G suggests telcos could have handled it better.
"The 3G shutdown was a wake-up call on how network transitions should and shouldn't be handled," says CEO Carol Bennett. "This is an example of why we need a strengthened [telco] regulatory system."
Bennett says new legislation currently before Parliament has the potential to deliver this required oversight.
The government's planned amendment to the Telecommunications Act would empower the communications regulator to take action more quickly against telcos who breach their obligations to customers and increase the maximum fines for such actions.
The 3G shutdown was a wake-up call on how network transitions should and shouldn't be handled
Carol Bennett, ACCAN CEO
A spokesperson for the federal communications minister says they expect telcos to stand by their promise of providing equivalent mobile coverage following the 3G shutdown.
They added that the federal communications department is requiring the mobile operators to report weekly on the level of complaints they're receiving about issues related to the shutdown.
In a separate announcement coming just before the Senate committee's final report, the department announced plans to eventually require mobile carriers to provide access to voice and SMS services "almost everywhere" in Australia.
It says such an obligation would be possible thanks to advances in LEO satellites being able to connect directly to devices.
What to do if you've lost coverage
If you've noticed your mobile phone coverage has become worse since the 3G shutdown, your first port of call should be your telco.
Telstra and Optus encourage anyone experiencing issues since the 3G shutdown to reach out to them.
Telstra has a dedicated 3G helpline on 1800 990 853 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm AEDT).
Optus encourages its customers to contact its support team on 133 937 or visit its contact page for other support options.
If you believe your telco hasn't provided appropriate support, contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
