In New Zealand, 3G network shut down by the end of March 2025

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kingdragonfly

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#316295 3-Oct-2024 08:49

Any thoughts about New Zealand shut down of the 3G network?

In New Zealand, Android is currently more popular than iOS. As of recent data, Android holds approximately 55-60% of the market share, while iOS accounts for around 40-45%.

So I thought I'd post this here.

In New Zealand, the 3G network will be shut down by the end of March 2025

One New Zealand Extends 3G Switch-off Date: Geekzone

In Australia, the 3G network shutdown is scheduled for end of this month, 28 October, 2024, for both Telstra and Optus. Vodafone has already switched off its 3G network as of December 2023

Here's a video about Australia's shutdown, in particular around emergency calls

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#3290355 3-Oct-2024 09:06

Good Job, unless you own an Apple iPhone or an Android Supported by the carrier for VoLTE don't provide service at all to the device

Nothing worse than a 000 (or 111 call here) not going through and not understanding why

Same should be done here, get every no compliant device off the network prior to shut down.

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Technofreak

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#3290365 3-Oct-2024 09:26

nztim:

Good Job, unless you own an Apple iPhone or an Android Supported by the carrier for VoLTE don't provide service at all to the device

Nothing worse than a 000 (or 111 call here) not going through and not understanding why

Same should be done here, get every no compliant device off the network prior to shut down.

I don't follow your logic. What happens to the overseas visitor that arrives here with a VoLTE capable phone which is supported in their home country but won't work here? Do they have to buy another phone for the duration of their visit? It's going to be a nasty surprise for a lot of visitors. Gone are the days of roaming as we know it.

This whole VoLTE implementation is a big step backwards.

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nztim

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#3290366 3-Oct-2024 09:32

Unless you have an iPhone or an Android with NZ VoLTE support then you are SOL

Times have moved on from phones globally being able to work around the world

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nztim

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#3290375 3-Oct-2024 09:35

The guy being interviewed in that article also has it wrong, the US/Canada iPhone 11/12 supports Band28 and has done all the way down to the iPhone 6

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Technofreak

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#3290376 3-Oct-2024 09:36

nztim:

Times have moved on from phones globally being able to work around the world

It seems you think that is a good idea. Sorry I don't follow your logic.

I thought technological advances should improve operability. Obviously I am wrong about that.

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Behodar

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#3290378 3-Oct-2024 09:44

Technofreak:

I thought technological advances should improve operability.

If the engineers were in charge then I'm sure they would. But with beancounters in charge, we get whatever turns the most profit (in this case, a traveller having to buy two phones).

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CYaBro

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#3290381 3-Oct-2024 09:47

New business idea: Phone rental company for tourists.

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nztim

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#3290383 3-Oct-2024 09:51

VoLTE requires a whole heap of settings programmed into the phone to work (for example the carriers call server/voice protocols/etc) worldwide carrier profiles are all programmed into any iPhone 6s and newer along with almost every 4G frequency, and, with the 12 and above almost every 5G frequency

It is the Multiple manufacturers of android phones who have decided to cherry pick which profiles they have decided to put into various models of phone, and that is no fault of the carriers who have made this information available to phone manufacturers.

Visitors to NZ with iPhones that are 6s or newer will have no problem connect to the networks here, those with Androids will be hit and miss

AT&T in the USA have led the way here, by putting together a full-scale PDF of the various phone models (and sub models) which manufacturers have decided to include their VoLTE profile

https://www.att.com/scmsassets/support/wireless/devices-working-on-att-network.pdf

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solaybro

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#3290384 3-Oct-2024 09:53

One of the issues that initially delayed the shutdown in NZ is that some phones support VoLTE for regular calls but switch to 3G for emergency calls. You might think your phone is working fine after the shutdown, but in an emergency, you could be unable to call for help.

It would be interesting to find out what phones are doing this.

ajw

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#3290386 3-Oct-2024 10:02

nztim:

Unless you have an iPhone or an Android with NZ VoLTE support then you are SOL

Times have moved on from phones globally being able to work around the world

And the huge loss of revenue to MNO's.

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#3290387 3-Oct-2024 10:02

Sounds like Windows 10 end of life but for the telco industry. "Shutdown 3G and we'll sell bucketloads of new phones"

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#3290389 3-Oct-2024 10:06

@kingdragonfly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szf9ZR7dCm4&t=332s

toejam316

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#3290390 3-Oct-2024 10:13

It's a nessecary evil. You can't overbuild a network in radio spectrum like you can with a physical network (for example, the Fibre network overbuilding the Copper network). The spectrum is allocated and used by the technology and can't carry another technology, so to free up the capacity for further development and improvement (like enabling 850/900Mhz spectrum for 4G/5G/5GSA use) you're going to need to turn off the previous occupant (in this case, 3G).

My speculation is that roaming issues could likely be resolved by vendors adopting Apple's approach, but Android vendors tend to target specific market segments and regions and don't want their phone to work out of that area, as that opens up opportunities for grey market export/import for lower cost higher value devices into areas where they would otherwise sell higher cost devices instead.

Safety is only a concern when there is a legal requirement. I could imagine a future where a default VoLTE profile is made mandatory to support emergency calling functionality only as a fallback solution.

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ajw

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#3290398 3-Oct-2024 10:27

Most phones still have the GSM bands enabled so my question is after 3G switchoff on the one.nz network will the handset switch to GSM until 2G switchoff December 2025.

nztim

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#3290400 3-Oct-2024 10:31

ajw:

Most phones still have the GSM bands enabled so my question is after 3G switchoff on the one.nz network will the handset switch to GSM until 2G switchoff December 2025.

yes, when I was in the US last month there were 2G only areas, and I was able to make calls, just not use data

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