Telstra and Optus delay 3G network shutdowns

Telstra and Optus will push back the closure of their respective 3G networks until the end of October, after being urged to do so by a parliamentary inquiry earlier this month.

The telcos said in a joint statement that 3G network closures would now start from October 28.

Telstra had been intending to shut its 3G network at the end of this month, and Optus progressively over the course of September.

Both Telstra and Optus said the up to two-month extension would be used “to execute one last push for mass public awareness of the impending closures”.

Optus, in particular, has faced political pressure after it emerged that 100,000 or more users could be left without functioning devices or connections when the 3G network is switched off.

Optus’ interim CEO Michael Venter said today that it “has pulled out all the stops to guide a small number of our customers impacted by the 3G switch-off through the process of updating their device”.

He said that “the majority” now had, but that one final campaign would target “the final groups of consumers to act”.

Optus and Telstra said past experience demonstrated that there would always be a portion of customers that did not act.

“Sometimes the actual closure is the only motivation that works," they said.

Telstra and Optus have offered free handsets to impacted users in some cases.

While the ability of some mostly imported handsets to make emergency calls without 3G has dominated discussions around 3G closures this year, the parliamentary inquiry showed a range of non-handset devices could also be orphaned without 3G access.