3G shutdown: check your phones

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#3444279 15-Dec-2025 16:52

Geektastic:

Linux:

@Geektastic So you will be better off when the 3G network is closed down

I will? I'll still only have a couple of bars of service, whatever number G it is!

Without the Starlink at home, we'd be frustrated data users for sure. And yet we are a massive 30 minutes from Chch International Airport, not in the bundu somewhere.

@Geektastic Bars mean nothing you need to know the RSSI and 4G works better when you have poor RSSI and with 3G / WCDMA you need to deal with cell breathing and 4G you don't

So 4G / LTE is going to perform far better at the edge of cell coverage when compared to 3G / wcdma

You are worried about nothing

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#3444282 15-Dec-2025 16:56

Linux:

Geektastic:

Linux:

@Geektastic So you will be better off when the 3G network is closed down

I will? I'll still only have a couple of bars of service, whatever number G it is!

Without the Starlink at home, we'd be frustrated data users for sure. And yet we are a massive 30 minutes from Chch International Airport, not in the bundu somewhere.

@Geektastic Bars mean nothing you need to know the RSSI and 4G works better when you have poor RSSI and with 3G / WCDMA you need to deal with cell breathing and 4G you don't

So 4G / LTE is going to perform far better at the edge of cell coverage when compared to 3G / wcdma

You are worried about nothing

I have no idea what any of those things are, but I am happy to be reassured that you do! 😆

Aucklandjafa

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#3444317 15-Dec-2025 19:08

The 700mhz 4g band intentionally had its power turned down so its footprint didn’t exceed the respective 850 & 900mhz 3G frequencies - once 3G is turned off, then the 4g footprint will grow larger than the current 3g one.

grantius

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#3444972 17-Dec-2025 13:33

From

https://www.2degrees.nz/help/mobile-help/troubleshooting/things-to-know-about-our-3g-shutdown

Scheduled Start Date

Area

Current Progress

Sunday, 14 December 2025

Various rural locations

Completed

Tuesday, 13 January 2026

Sites across Rotorua and Palmerston North, and another single site close to Waiatarua

Not started

Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Rest of the network

Not started

KiwiSurfer

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#3444982 17-Dec-2025 13:59

grantius:

and another single site close to Waiatarua

Odd that they are so specific about that one site. Waiatarua is a MORAN site. But then again they say "close to Waiatarua" suggesting it's not that one, but all the other "close" sites are all kms away.

Shrugs. Will be all over and done with soon enough anyway.

WellyGeek

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#3445721 19-Dec-2025 16:18

Not much information on operator websites regarding SMS service in LTE world (eg. assume phones will need SMSoIP capability). 2Degrees and One only give list of phones that are VoLTE capable, but does not say if these phones are also SMSoIP capable. Only Spark single out SMSoIP support for each phone model.

1) Is generally correct to assume that phones that support VoLTE and WiFi calling now will also support SMS over LTE?

2) How can you check if your phone has SMSoIP capability, or how can you test if your phone will support SMS over LTE?

3) Also there is a column on VoLTE roaming. What does this mean? Is it VoLTE roaming overseas, or incoming VoLTE roaming for incoming travellers in New Zealand?

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#3445724 19-Dec-2025 16:39

SMS over LTE / 4G is years old and VoLTE roaming would mean NZ subscribers going overseas

richms

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#3445733 19-Dec-2025 17:07

my old xiaomi that stopped getting updates pre-covid is now fine sending them, it was not before when I tried ages ago. Only problem I will have is the second non data sim is 3g only so I am going to have to move the other sim into a different device and buy data on my old one number for this phone at their high prices, or just hotspot it off a cheaper phone.

Richard rich.ms

boosacnoodle

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#3446017 20-Dec-2025 15:30

Spark appears to have launched their SA+NSA network at The Plaza shopping centre, Palmerston North. Speeds are around 500/50, which seems similar to NSA.

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#3446020 20-Dec-2025 15:43

KiwiSurfer:

grantius:

and another single site close to Waiatarua

Odd that they are so specific about that one site. Waiatarua is a MORAN site. But then again they say "close to Waiatarua" suggesting it's not that one, but all the other "close" sites are all kms away.

Shrugs. Will be all over and done with soon enough anyway.

Waiatarua really is a bit of an odd beast, i just dropped down to 3G and it's definitely still broadcasting at the moment.

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#3446021 20-Dec-2025 15:45

@boosacnoodle

Speedtest done on 2degrees rural Northland 7:30pm this week NSA network 80Mhz of 3.5Ghz / n78

3G / wcdma is still broadcasting off the site

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#3446027 20-Dec-2025 16:39

Seeing more L900 in Tauranga and around McLaren Falls (just visited the grand mother in law at her place and it was L900 the entire time).

Even as I sit in my BnB at Matua (notoriously awful) I'm pushed to L900 if I don't stick the tongue out in the right way.

I imagine UMTS is still there but with L900 being available the network is super reluctant (I get why).

On that topic too my drive to Kirwee has seen L900 too, no more dropping to U900 where it legitimately did not function.

Nice work guys.

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boosacnoodle

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#3446032 20-Dec-2025 17:13

Linux:

@boosacnoodle

Speedtest done on 2degrees rural Northland 7:30pm this week NSA network 80Mhz of 3.5Ghz / n78

3G / wcdma is still broadcasting off the site

The best I have seen on Spark has never exceeded 600 / 50~. Remains unclear why this is and that’s with 100 MHz of n78.

MaxineN

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#3446033 20-Dec-2025 17:19

boosacnoodle:

Linux:

@boosacnoodle

Speedtest done on 2degrees rural Northland 7:30pm this week NSA network 80Mhz of 3.5Ghz / n78

3G / wcdma is still broadcasting off the site

The best I have seen on Spark has never exceeded 600 / 50~. Remains unclear why this is and that’s with 100 MHz of n78.

I honestly think that's the max you'll get at -90dbm plus whatever load it's seeing on that layer.

Where I live in ChCh I'm about 100m away from a One NZ cell site and I sit at around -75 dbm and it's possible to push a gig (and more) down it in the middle of the night. Throughout the day it's about 650/750 DL.

I have seen faster on Spark (when I was their customer...), but I think anything above 100mbps is overkill unless it's your primary connection (so no fixed line broadband).

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

boosacnoodle

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#3446037 20-Dec-2025 17:30

Feilding on Spark is only showing NSA still. Must only be one, or a handful, of Palmerston North towers with 5G SA-enabled.

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