3G shutdown: check your phones

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'That VDSL Cat'
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#3458157 3-Feb-2026 02:55

KiwiSurfer:

Bringing this back on topic - one advantage of 3G going away is that perhaps we'll see more investiment into RCG 4G coverage in malls. So far RCG has put in 4G MORAN coverage inside Manawa Bay mall near AKL airport, inside the IKEA store at Sylvia Park, various retirement villages, and I'm sure there are other interesting RCG urban deployments coming. The only downside is no RCG 5G (yet) which puts some locations (e.g. IKEA) in the awkard position of having excellent 5CA 4G/5G service ouside but dropping back to single carrier 4G inside once the UE attaches to the RCG cell. Win some lose some I guess.

RCG Cells often not supporting LTE CA is one of the larger downsides, I'd definitely like to see improvement in that now that there is more urban deployments.

When it's just L700 or Multiple L700 carriers it makes sense as very few devices to 2CA on L700 + L700.

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grantius

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#3458161 3-Feb-2026 07:34

Wonder when they'll add the bandwidth to their b8 LTE - still showing only 5mhz on b8 here.

Aucklandjafa

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#3458164 3-Feb-2026 07:43

grantius:

Wonder when they'll add the bandwidth to their b8 LTE - still showing only 5mhz on b8 here.

pretty sure they’ll be wanting to use it for 5g.

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#3458167 3-Feb-2026 07:57

Aucklandjafa:

grantius:

Wonder when they'll add the bandwidth to their b8 LTE - still showing only 5mhz on b8 here.

pretty sure they’ll be wanting to use it for 5g.

I guess converting b8 to n8 would give them 10mhz of n8, matching sparks 10mhz of n5 on low end (although that's worse than the 20mhz of b28 you lose using that)

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#3458173 3-Feb-2026 08:28

2degrees coverage map already has the 3G coverage layer removed

Network coverage | 2degrees

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#3458230 3-Feb-2026 09:23

The press release:

2degrees has completed the shutdown of its 3G services.

The shutdown removed 3G services from operation and will see 2degrees mobile users connected to the more modern 4G and 5G networks.

CEO Mark Callander said: “We have been communicating with our customers and planning for this shutdown for more than 18 months now, and we’re pleased to retire the outdated technology so we can dedicate our focus and resources on modern 4G, 5G and satellite networks.”

The telco decommissioned 3G services on around 100 rural sites in December, then shut down 3G services in Palmerston North and Rotorua in January, before the full shutdown of nationwide 3G services was completed last night.

Callander says customers who need help setting up a new device or changing settings can visit a 2degrees store or partner retailer to get a hand in person, visit the website, or contact the 2degrees Care team.

2degrees has only sold 4G and 5G handsets for several years now, with 4G devices starting from just $85.

Callander says that 2degrees has undertaken a major upgrade of its network over the past few years, enhancing 4G services and adding 5G equipment to many sites.

“3G is a legacy technology that is being phased out globally. The next generation of mobile networks - 4G and 5G - are designed to support today’s usage requirements including data-intensive activities such as streaming, video conferencing, and running multiple applications simultaneously.

“3G is no longer capable of delivering the performance New Zealand requires. By retiring this legacy technology, we can focus on strengthening and expanding our 4G and 5G networks which carry the vast majority of today’s mobile traffic, and also look to the future with satellite.”

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#3458243 3-Feb-2026 09:53

This has been updated now too. Bye bye 2d 3G.

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

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#3458250 3-Feb-2026 10:16

Linux:

2degrees coverage map already has the 3G coverage layer removed

Network coverage | 2degrees

Have the 4G/5G maps changed also?

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#3458254 3-Feb-2026 10:38

@boosacnoodle changed in what way? As above they have removed the 3G layer

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#3458256 3-Feb-2026 10:40

Linux:

@boosacnoodle changed in what way? As above they have removed the 3G layer

The understanding is that some of that would be rearranged to cover/enlarge 4G/5G footprint. Even if not immediate, the question is valid.

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#3458262 3-Feb-2026 11:13

richms:

I must see if the 3g shutdown helps with the bottom of Onewa road too. Come on spark, catch up with 2degrees. Lagging behind but that seems to be expected.

Spark is awful full stop there (and many other locations in Auckland). It is remarkable watching NetMonster/Netmonitor/etc when travelling along Onewa Road. One NZ have lots of cells along that road so UEs seamlessly progress through each cell, never attached to cells further away. 2deg has less cells but generally most of the way is not too bad. Spark on the other hand is all over the place - often attaching to cells 2, 3, 4, 5+ kms away (Westmere, Pt Chev, Te Atatu, etc) as they have barely any cells locally. 3G switchoff will make little difference. Only hope is they reallocate resources into building more 4G cells but can't see that happening anytime soon with their 5G upgrade programme being delivered quite poorly too -- I know of many Spark sites now on their second round of 5G equipment being installed replacing the 5G gear they only just installed in the last few years.

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#3458339 3-Feb-2026 12:58

KiwiSurfer:

Spark is awful full stop there (and many other locations in Auckland). It is remarkable watching NetMonster/Netmonitor/etc when travelling along Onewa Road. One NZ have lots of cells along that road so UEs seamlessly progress through each cell, never attached to cells further away. 2deg has less cells but generally most of the way is not too bad. Spark on the other hand is all over the place - often attaching to cells 2, 3, 4, 5+ kms away (Westmere, Pt Chev, Te Atatu, etc) as they have barely any cells locally. 3G switchoff will make little difference. Only hope is they reallocate resources into building more 4G cells but can't see that happening anytime soon with their 5G upgrade programme being delivered quite poorly too -- I know of many Spark sites now on their second round of 5G equipment being installed replacing the 5G gear they only just installed in the last few years.

Not unique to Auckland. I'm aware of at least two Spark cell towers installed in Christchurch that remain out of service from the date of installation, one of which was physically installed at least 18 months ago. The notes say that they installed Samsung gear, then subsequently swapped it over to Nokia due to the Samsung gear underperforming (or maybe the other way around).

It is simply staggering to think how much money would have been spent to buy the tower and equipment, then install it, only to have said brand new tower just sitting there for close to two years in a fully non-functional state - and with seemingly nothing being done to sort it.

KiwiSurfer

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#3458342 3-Feb-2026 13:17

18 months? Oh that's nothing. Spark (or was it Telecom?) built this site around 2008-2009 and never got around to installing RAN equipment. i have a peek every time I go past on the train and still nothing. Must be a NZ record surely - coming up to 18 years now.

Re the swapping of gears Samsung/Nokia/whatever sounds about right -- the changes include new 5G antennas as well as changs to the LTE eNB ID (618xxx to 30xxxx) as they seem to have swapped out even the LTE gear at the same time.

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#3458344 3-Feb-2026 13:28

KiwiSurfer:

18 months? Oh that's nothing. Spark (or was it Telecom?) built this site around 2008-2009 and never got around to installing RAN equipment. i have a peek every time I go past on the train and still nothing. Must be a NZ record surely - coming up to 18 years now.

Re the swapping of gears Samsung/Nokia/whatever sounds about right -- the changes include new 5G antennas as well as changs to the LTE eNB ID (618xxx to 30xxxx) as they seem to have swapped out even the LTE gear at the same time.

Wow! That's crazy. Wonder if the landlord took a long-term (20 year?) lease and cashed out, meanwhile Telecom probably installed it and found that it has poor RF conditions. Landlord laughing all the way to the bank.

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#3458404 3-Feb-2026 14:01

One NZ 3G shut down in progress in Otago and Southland

https://one.nz/3g-shutdown

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