3G shutdown: check your phones

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#3462804 18-Feb-2026 22:21

I remember getting EDGE reception on T-Mobile when I was in Minnesota...but that was in 2009. From memory the speed wasn't too bad but nothing compared to 4G or 5G.

yitz

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#3462810 18-Feb-2026 22:58

...and here I was thinking 5G was required for EDGE computing 😁

insane

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#3462812 18-Feb-2026 23:10

yitz:

...and here I was thinking 5G was required for EDGE computing 😁

It's the little slice that you get to keep all to yourself 😜

yitz

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#3462827 18-Feb-2026 23:23

Spark offering eligible customers who received text message communication $50 account credit for moving to 4G.

https://www.spark.co.nz/online/legal/terms-and-conditions/offers/3g-shutdown-4g-account-credit-tcs

caffynz

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#3463286 20-Feb-2026 10:37

Just got a random text from 2degrees:

Urgent Safety Message: our records show you recently made a 111 call using 3G. These 3G 111 calls will not work in the future. You must make sure your phone has VoLTE enabled in your settings and your software is up to date. Please take action now....

I haven't made any 111 calls, so curious why I have received this.

Also, I think "...will not work in the future" is not written well and misleading. Perhaps better to write as "...3G 111 calls no longer work."

Behodar

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#3463288 20-Feb-2026 10:40

The whole premise is a bit strange. 111 calls are made in extraneous circumstances, so just because someone makes a call today doesn't mean they're going to make another one tomorrow.

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boosacnoodle

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#3463292 20-Feb-2026 10:46

caffynz:

Just got a random text from 2degrees:

Urgent Safety Message: our records show you recently made a 111 call using 3G. These 3G 111 calls will not work in the future. You must make sure your phone has VoLTE enabled in your settings and your software is up to date. Please take action now....

I haven't made any 111 calls, so curious why I have received this.

Also, I think "...will not work in the future" is not written well and misleading. Perhaps better to write as "...3G 111 calls no longer work."

Haven't they completed their 3G shutdown? Perhaps someone hit the wrong button (on the 2d side).

bagheera

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#3463293 20-Feb-2026 10:47

caffynz:

Just got a random text from 2degrees:

Urgent Safety Message: our records show you recently made a 111 call using 3G. These 3G 111 calls will not work in the future. You must make sure your phone has VoLTE enabled in your settings and your software is up to date. Please take action now....

I haven't made any 111 calls, so curious why I have received this.

Also, I think "...will not work in the future" is not written well and misleading. Perhaps better to write as "...3G 111 calls no longer work."

111 calls can be made on any network, even if you are not on thier network ie you on 2d, but only Spark covering the area with 0 2d cover, you can make the 111 call over spark network, and currently any 2d phone that fall back to 3g for 111 calls will be using another network for this, but in the near future, there will be 0 3g on any network so then your 111 call would fail, but currently 3g 111 call do work in 3g areas of another providor.

nztim

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#3463297 20-Feb-2026 11:02

quickymart:

I remember getting EDGE reception on T-Mobile when I was in Minnesota...but that was in 2009.

2G is still running on T-Mobile in very very very remote areas of the US (Southern Nevada by the Hoover Dam is one example)

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

boosacnoodle

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#3463345 20-Feb-2026 14:43

bagheera:

111 calls can be made on any network, even if you are not on thier network ie you on 2d, but only Spark covering the area with 0 2d cover, you can make the 111 call over spark network, and currently any 2d phone that fall back to 3g for 111 calls will be using another network for this, but in the near future, there will be 0 3g on any network so then your 111 call would fail, but currently 3g 111 call do work in 3g areas of another providor.

Of course. I wonder if Spark, One and 2d are coordinating whoever calls on 3G back to the originating provider. Excellent, if so.

grantius

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#3463905 24-Feb-2026 10:45

Did a speed test on One 3g on weekend, 17mbps seemed pretty good!

Anyway locked phone to 3g this morning and it's now shut down in Waikato as per the plan.

Bye 3g!

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#3463991 24-Feb-2026 12:50

grantius:

Did a speed test on One 3g on weekend, 17mbps seemed pretty good!

Anyway locked phone to 3g this morning and it's now shut down in Waikato as per the plan.

Bye 3g!

@grantius Did you call OneNZ and log a fault?

openmedia

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#3463993 24-Feb-2026 12:53

Tried an old Nokia 5.0 - TA-1024 on Skinny - Worked for 4G data but sadly no VolTE support. Based on a couple of OZ sites it should support VOWIFI and on some networks VolTE but the options simply don't appear. The same SIM supports VolTE in a Nokia 7.2 and Nokia G60 without any issues.

This was a handy old phone we kept as a backup device, and sadly it is now headed to a phone recycling bin.

I dropped off 6 or 7 old devices into the Spark recycling bin last week as none of them support 4G. I still had my 15+ year old Galaxy S2.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

Behodar

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#3464699 25-Feb-2026 13:46

Spark's going down the Aussie route.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/587905/3g-shutdown-spark-to-block-phones-unable-to-call-emergency-111

Edit: It looks like specific models are being blacklisted, unlike the whitelist they use in Australia.

RunningMan

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#3464702 25-Feb-2026 14:09

Devices with no software update available that will be blocked from 31 March:

ASUS ROG Phone 5S
ASUS ROG Phone 6
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Pro
ASUS ROG Phone 6 Ultimate
ASUS ZenFone 7 ZS670KS
ASUS ZenFone 8
ASUS ZenFone 9
ASUS ROG Phone
ASUS ZS672KS
Devices with software update available (will be blocked if this is not actioned before 31 March 2026):

ASUS ROG Phone 7
ASUS ROG Phone 8
ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro
ASUS ROG Phone 9
ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro
ASUS ZenFone 10

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