Ageing 3G Network Gets Another Reprieve, This Time Until October

Telstra and Optus will further delay the closure of their 3G networks until the end of October after a parliamentary inquiry earlier this month urged them to do so. Telstra had originally scheduled the shutdown for Aug. 31, two months later than its original June deadline, while Optus 3G planned to switch off in September. TPG/Vodafone ended its 3G service in January. But they relented today, saying in a joint statement that 3G network closures would now start from Oct. 28. A Senate inquiry, which released an interim report on Aug. 1, found many customers might not realise their devices relied on 3G—not just mobile phones but also critical medical equipment, such as cardiac monitors and medical alarms, fire alarms, EFTPOS machines, and even waste and water infrastructure....