What's Happening to Non VOLTE devices with the impending 3G shutdown

Forums › New Zealand Mobile and Wireless › What's Happening to Non VOLTE devices with the impending 3G shutdown

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Wannabe Geek
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#3369188 30-Apr-2025 16:59

"Your mobile is not 4G ready.
When we shut down our 3G network, towards the end of 2025, your experience could be interrupted.
To make sure you stay connected, you'll need to replace your mobile with a 4G-ready device.
• National coverage = No
• Data/SMS = Limited to
some areas in NZ
Calling (including 111) =
No"

This is what mine says when I input my IMEI into Spark. It's a Chinese ROM phone from 2018 that works perfectly fine. It supports "4G+", which I believe is what Huawei uses?

Y'all folks think I'm going to have to buy a new phone or am I safe with this still? I really would prefer not to buy a new phone just because of this.

Linux

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#3369190 30-Apr-2025 17:04

4G+ is not VoLTE it is carrier aggregation which combines a number of carriers for faster data speed

nitro

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#3369191 30-Apr-2025 17:13

Elixir:

Y'all folks think I'm going to have to buy a new phone or am I safe with this still? I really would prefer not to buy a new phone just because of this.

hard to think of a more compelling reason to get a new phone than "Calling (including 111) =No"

whatever the telcos do, i wouldn't be surprised at all if a "few" still get caught out on shutdown day. there are a lot of grey market devices around... not everyone understands this impending change, not everyone can afford a new phone.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3369241 30-Apr-2025 17:19

It can support 4G+ and even 5G and still not have VoLTE work here.

A software upgrade or custom ROM might be able to make it work; it's not a hardware issue.

Force it to 4G-only in the settings and see if you can still make calls.

jarledb

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#3369251 30-Apr-2025 18:37

snj:

I was going to say that I wouldn't be surprised, but searching for "Telsa 3G" came up with

US: https://www.tesla.com/support/3g-cellular-network-retirement "This LTE modem upgrade is available for $200 USD plus applicable taxes and includes installation."
AU: https://www.tesla.com/en_au/support/3g-cellular-network-retirement "To maintain cellular connectivity after Telstra discontinues its 3G network, your vehicle will need an Infotainment Upgrade, which includes an LTE-capable modem." (upgrade price unspecified)
So it looks like they switched from just upgrading the modem, to forcing an infotainment upgrade, which assuming it's the same upgrade mentioned in https://www.tesla.com/en_nz/support/infotainment sounds like a mixed bag (loss of AM radio, pay extra to retain FM radio, etc).

This would be for old Tesla’s. My 2022 model has LTE.

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mrdrifter

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#3381936 9-Jun-2025 09:53

Going to sound like a dumb question, but my Poco F5 Pro is on 2 Degrees and set to LTE Only with VOLTE enabled. I can have a hotspot running and make calls simultaneously with no issues and the VOLTE icon stays active - but the txt to 550 and IMEI checker on 2 degrees says 'not 4g compatible' - I'm assuming this is because it's not officially supported by 2 degrees?

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#3381984 9-Jun-2025 10:01

mrdrifter:

Going to sound like a dumb question, but my Poco F5 Pro is on 2 Degrees and set to LTE Only with VOLTE enabled. I can have a hotspot running and make calls simultaneously with no issues and the VOLTE icon stays active - but the txt to 550 and IMEI checker on 2 degrees says 'not 4g compatible' - I'm assuming this is because it's not officially supported by 2 degrees?

@mrdrifter Could be the way the handset handles 111 calls and hands down to 3G / WCDMA as well

mrdrifter

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#3381988 9-Jun-2025 10:09

Linux:

@mrdrifter Could be the way the handset handles 111 calls and hands down to 3G / WCDMA as well

I wondered about that, but I've disabled 3G / WCDMA via settings as part of testing and 111 calls are working as well as 0800 and shortcodes. All calls are showing as HD.

I'm only unsure as I switched to 2degrees due to employer plan after being on VF/One for years and never having any issues with VOLTE or VOWIFI on any of my Xiaomi or Poco phones.

richms

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#3394403 15-Jul-2025 19:39

Just had an email from PB tech about my xiaomi linking here - https://hardwired.pbtech.co.nz/article/2673/how-to-enable-volte-on-your-xiaomi-phone with details on using the dialer codes to turn volte on, so I guess they are happy that it works well enough even before the updates to enable it.

Last time I tried I was not able to send a SMS so perhaps something has changed.

Richard rich.ms

Eva888

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#3394422 15-Jul-2025 21:32

Friend has an iPhone SE 2nd Generation. It is on the official list of compatible phones. Texting 550 it says phone can connect to 4G and doesn't need to be replaced.

However there is no actual Volte label to switch on. The only label options are 3G an 4G. 4G is ticked. Will this work? Is there some magic that turns it on without the switch being visible? Will she be able to use roaming when out of the country? Am puzzled.

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#3394442 15-Jul-2025 21:47

@Eva888 of course that handset will work on VoLTE and VoLTE roaming

You could of tested with a quick call and see if the 4G icon changed to 3G

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quickymart

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#3394483 15-Jul-2025 22:22

Linux:

You could of tested with a quick call and see if the 4G icon changed to 3G

Is there a way to set my Samsung phone to only use VoLTE, or is it just a case of it uses whatever signal/service it wants to? Mine sometimes uses VoLTE, sometimes it doesn't.

I have a feeling it may be making a call using my Wifi, but I don't have Wifi Calling activated - the 3G icon doesn't appear when I'm making a call (as far as I can tell).

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#3394484 15-Jul-2025 22:25

There are a few apps that allow you to get into the radio menu on some andriod phones. Then you can set phone to LTE/NR only.

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#3394490 16-Jul-2025 07:33

quickymart:

Linux:

You could of tested with a quick call and see if the 4G icon changed to 3G

Is there a way to set my Samsung phone to only use VoLTE, or is it just a case of it uses whatever signal/service it wants to? Mine sometimes uses VoLTE, sometimes it doesn't.

@quickymart If your handset is not using VoLTE for some calls then it is not in 4G coverage or it would always use VoLTE

Eva888

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#3394503 16-Jul-2025 08:42

Linux:

@Eva888 of course that handset will work on VoLTE and VoLTE roaming

You could of tested with a quick call and see if the 4G icon changed to 3G

Thanks. I was curious because my own iPhone has a volte button that you have to switch on. Hers does not have that button. Phone stayed on 4G when making a call.

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