It was way back in 2014 we announced that Telstra would be shelving its 2G network by 2017, and just ahead of time, the day has finally come.
The 900 MHz mobile network was switched off today, so if you or a loved one have a 2G SIM card, Mobile Handheld, Mobile Broadband, Tablets or wireless Machine-to-Machine (M2M) device it won’t work on Telstra’s network anymore. You won’t be able to make or receive voice calls or SMS, access voicemail or use data services.
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If you have life critical 2G services that are used for monitoring health, emergency services, occupational health and safety duress, security and fire alarms or other remote safety situations, these will no longer work. You need to contact the provider of these services right now.
If you have a 2G handheld mobile, emergency calls to 000 or 112 won’t be possible unless you’re within the 2G network coverage area of another carrier. Your device screen is likely to display “SOS” or “Emergency Calls Only” when you’re within range of another carrier.
If you have a 2G SIM card in a 2G device, you’ll need a new Telstra 3G SIM card and new device. If you have a 2G SIM card in a 3G/4G device, you’ll need a new Telstra 3G SIM card. If you have a 3G SIM card in a 2G device, you’ll need a new device. Yourt new device might not fit your current SIM card though, so you might need a new one anyway. And if you have a 3G SIM card in a 3G/4G device, you’ll need to check your device network settings are configured to “Auto”.
If your SIM card and/or device was supplied by your workplace, and you received an SMS from Telstra about 2G service impacts, you’ll need to discuss upgrading your services with your employer.
If you’re unsure of the 2G service impact to you, use the tips below to identify whether your service was previously operating on our 2G mobile network.
At the top of your phone or tablet screen, when it’s turned on, you would previously had seen these symbols “2G, Edge, E or GPRS”. These will no longer display and you will now see “No Service” or something similar depending on your device. You’ll need to replace your SIM card and/or device or both.
Turn your mobile device off and remove the SIM card. If you can’t see a “Next G or T” symbol on it, then it might be a 2G SIM which needs to be replaced with a Telstra 3G SIM card.
If you previously had “2G, GSM, E or EDGE” symbols at the top of your screen, and now you see “No Service”, “SOS” or “Emergency Calls Only”, the device was operating on our 2G network and will need to be replaced. If you can now see “3G, HSPA, 4G or LTE” symbols at the top of your screen, the device can operate on our 3G/4G services.
If you’ve found that your device and SIM card are both compatible with the 3G/4G network, the last thing to check is that your mobile settings allow you to use their 3G/4G capabilities. Check that your device network mode is set to Automatic by accessing “Settings” or “Network Settings” on your mobile. If the device you’re adjusting is a mobile broadband device, you may need to make the adjustment through its “Connection Manager”.
If you need more help, Telstra has a comprehensive FAQ section set up on its website.