VODAFONE recently shut down its 3G network as the first telco to do so, with industry spokespeople reminding communities - especially those in rural areas - of the need to make sure they aren’t still using devices that rely on the old technology.

Friday, December 15 was the date Vodafone set for the closure, with Telstra nominating June 2024 and Optus in September to shut their respective networks.

3G refers to the third ‘generation’ of mobile phone networks, the first generation being the original analogue network which launched in Sydney in February of 1987 and Melbourne three months later - the first (bulky) mobile phones having a separate battery attached and costing $4250.

2G - or GSM - followed in April 1993, initially marketed simply as ‘digital’, while the analogue network was turned off in 2000, being superseded by CDMA which was introduced just a few months earlier in September 1999 due in part to Telstra having a licence condition requiring an equivalent coverage footprint in rural areas.

It was 2G that first offered tech such as digital encryption security, SMS text messaging, international roaming and caller ID.

2G initially did not include data, but in 2001 this was added, while CDMA was eventually closed in 2008, becoming the shortest-lived of the consumer networks in Australia; 2G was closed by Telstra in December 2016, with Optus ending service the following year.

3G was launched in 2003 and from day one offered data as part of the service, enabling phones to do much more than just make calls - and the service effectively got a ‘point-5’ upgrade with the Next Generation network (3.5G) a few years later in 2006, offering even faster download speeds.

It is devices that use this network that will be affected by the current network closures, with it more likely to be a higher proportion of non-mobile technology such as weather warning systems, point-of-sale terminals and medical monitors that might be overlooked as potentially no longer operating.

This is because most people update their phones every few years at least; the 4G network launched in 2011 and subscriber numbers exceeded 3G in 2016, but it may be easy to overlook some devices that aren’t used ‘hands-on’ regularly.

The good news is that most types of technology will have had upgraded versions available that use 4G or even 5G (launched in May 2019), and certainly any modern phone sold at a major mobile retailer will work on current networks.

Customers with phone models over nine years old are advised to check if it will be affected by the closures.

For those needing an upgrade and wondering what to do with their old phone(s), there are several options available to help you recycle them, including chargers and accessories - the website mobilemuster.com.au can help.