The 3G shutdown in NZ is starting. Here's what you need to know

Explainer - It is nearly the end of the year. Do you know where your 3G is?

The 3G mobile network that once kicked off the explosion in smartphones across New Zealand started to shut down this past weekend.

It is meant to allow full transition and spectrum space for the faster newer-generation 4G and 5G networks.

All three main mobile operators - Spark, 2degrees and One NZ - are shutting down their 3G networks and upgrading their sites to either 4G or 5G.

The shutdown was originally flagged to be "by Christmas," but will extend slightly into 2026.

Telecommunications experts are now giving one last set of warnings for people to check their devices for compatibility.

Most people will not notice a difference as 3G fades out, but people with older phones - or certain wired devices like home security systems - need to pay attention, says Telecommunications Forum chief executive Paul Brislen.

What is 3G, anyway?

The 3G network brought us the world of the internet in our pockets, allowing real mobile internet access and the start of streaming audio and low-resolution audio. It was revolutionary at the time it started to first roll out in New Zealand around 2005, but technology has moved on quickly.

"It was introduced way back when the iPhones first launched," Brislen told Morning Report.

"So it's getting quite long in the tooth now, it's very old, it doesn't do what everybody wants it to do, and all around the world, networks are switching it off this year."

Spark has said that less than 2 percent of its total network data traffic runs on 3G, while 3G voice calling has dropped 85 percent since 2019.

Pretty much everyone is actually still using the 3G network right now at certain times, but soon 4G or 5G will entirely take its place.

"It's like closing a road, people still use it until the road's gone," Brislen said.

"The phones we all have, even the 4G and 5G phones, will use 3G networks when they find them. It's simply the way the phones operate. They look for the nearest strongest signal that is compatible with their chip set."

So when is this happening?

It has already started. 2degrees has said it would begin shutting down its 3G network starting on 14 December.

One NZ's schedule, announced last week, begins with Dunedin shutting down starting 20 January and will end with Auckland and Wellington in mid-March.

Spark said it will shut down all its 3G on 31 March.

Part of the reason for the adjusted timeline instead of shutting off at year's end is the famed Kiwi "long summer."

"Over the Christmas break because of increased demand for services and reduced staff in the office you have a period of time where we won't make any dramatic changes to the network," Brislen said.

"I think they're all coming to the conclusion that in fact, switching off 3G while people are away at the beach is probably not a good idea."

Hang on, how do I know if my phone will work?

If you have got an older model phone - or perhaps one that was parallel imported or not bought in New Zealand - you should check to make sure the 3G shutdown won't affect it.

The quickest way to do that is to free-text '3G' to 550, which will let you know if your device can use 4G. If it says you can not, you will need to investigate further.

That service is "absolutely free, you don't need to worry about paying for it, and you can do it as often as you like," Brislen said.

"And I recommend doing it on other peoples' phones too, if you've got elderly relatives or people who aren't so familiar with technology, just do that on their phone."

While you may use your phone more for texting, YouTube and TikTok, it is also critical to make sure you can still use emergency 111 voice calling, experts have said.

There may be some changes to network coverage with the switch but fine-tuning it will be ongoing, Brislen said.

"We don't expect to see any material reduction in coverage overall after our 3G network is switched off," One NZ has said on its website. "There may be changes to coverage at a limited number of specific locations due to propagation differences of the technologies."

My phone says it's 4G, what's the problem?

Well, it might not actually fully be 4G for all functions, so it will pay to double-check.

Some phones are not set up to use the VoLTE network that uses 4G for voice calls, or they might not be loaded with NZ carrier VoLTE settings.

The problem has been particularly noted in some phones purchased overseas or from parallel importers.

Some of those phones rely on 3G just for voice calls, and 4G for the data functions.

"The ones that worry me are the ones who have a 4G phone that uses 3G for voice and they may not actually check their device," Brislen said.

"They'll just look at it and say, 'Oh look I can see 4G in the corner, my phone is fine,' and that's not necessarily the case."

What are the Gs anyway?

The "g" stands for generation, and the first generation of cellular system technology that was introduced in the late 1970s and early 1980s was called "1G." It's the basic framework for how cellular networks first originated but its primary use was making voice mobile.

2G began the transition from analog to digital in the 1990s, and the very first rough uses of mobile data. By the way, what's left of the 2G network is also being shut down in New Zealand along with 3G. One of the things that may impact is older GPS trackers, one company has said.

But 3G, introduced in the early 2000s, is when the networks shifted more from voice to data and what we think of as smartphones today.

4G in the 2010s kicked things up another notch to allow perpetual connectivity, fast downloads, video streaming and mobile gaming, while 5G - the latest generation - began rolling out around 2019 and brought even faster speeds and response times.

Is there a 6G? Not yet, but research into it is well underway and it could be here by the 2030s.

Still unclear? Here's some resources you can use:

• NZ Telecommunications Forum
• The 3G Shutdown Guide
• One NZ information and schedule
• Spark
• 2Degrees

Does all this mean I have to buy a new phone?

"For some people you will have to buy a new device," Brislen said.

"They're in the minority though, because natural attrition has generally weeded most of those devices out."

While some worry that they might be talked into spending thousands on a new device, Brislen said the Telecommunications Forum had not heard of any such conduct and most retailers had plenty of options available.

"I haven't had any complaints from anybody about being upsold.

"I think the cheapest 4G handset I've seen is about $60 so you don't need the latest top of the range whatever the new iPhone is."

It's also not just your phones

It is also important to consider evaluating any other devices you have that might still use 3G such as medical alarms, vehicle trackers, tablets and security systems.

Earlier this year RNZ highlighted the case of a Christchurch woman who was told that if she wants her automatic gate to keep working, she would have to spend almost $1000 to get it upgraded.

Are people actually paying attention?

The campaign to let people know about the shutdown has been going on all year.

Brislen said Commerce Commission research showed that 85 percent of New Zealanders were aware of the shutdown.

For many, the big switch might be a non-event.

"Ninety-nine percent of people will not notice the actual shut-off," he said. "It's not as if your phone will go 'beep beep beep' and suddenly look different."

Still, not everyone may have gotten the message.

Telcos and other agencies have been working together to deliver a unified response - and a lot of that is in reaction to Australia's own 3G networks shutdown last year, which was widely considered a bit of a disaster. Government ministers and telecoms squabbled over how messaging was delivered and how much notice was given to customers.

New Zealand has learned from that, Brislen said.

"No other country had quite the same level of angst that the Australian shutdown generated.

"Largely it was an awareness problem, not a technical problem."

It is probably inevitable there will be some complaints and issues reported as the 3G shutdown begins, but Brislen said he hopes steady communications will alleviate a lot of that.

"The whole idea of the project is to take everybody on the journey," he said.

While 3G won't vanish entirely for a few more months, it's "better you get your phone and your devices sorted out this side of Christmas until waiting after".

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