As Australia's 3G networks are retired, 4G phones without VoLTE and some regional customers are likely to be impacted.
All three major telcos have been warning customers to make sure they upgrade from 3G-only devices, but also to check if their 4G and 5G devices have something called Voice over LTE (VoLTE), so that they don't get caught out when 3G networks shut down.
Telstra and Optus 3G shutdowns
Telstra: June 30, 2024
Other affected carriers using the Telstra network include:
ALDI Mobile
Belong
Boost Mobile
Exetel
Lycamobile
MATE
More
numobile
Superloop
Tangerine
Woolworths Mobile
Optus: September, 2024
Other affected carriers using the Optus network include:
amaysim
Aussie Broadband
Catch Connect
Circles.Life
Coles Mobile
Dodo
iPrimus
Moose Mobile
Southern Phone
SpinTel
Yomojo
The 25 most common devices which may be affected
According to the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association.
Telcos are acting like switching off 3G is no big deal, since LTE has been around since 2012, get with the times! VoLTE has only been around since 2016, and even then, was limited to approved models. And only worked if you bought the phone directly from the telco. And only if you had postpaid plan. And only if your account had a “VoLTE enable” flag set by calling them.
To this day, when it doesn’t work phone makers and telcos will point the finger at each other, leaving customers with no clue who to chase for a solution. All parties still act like VoLTE is a nice to have and not a requirement. I really believe the rush to deploy 5G was to have the pretence to shut off 3G and force customers to buy new phones.
I had to root my phone, then use diagnostic serial access to the Qualcomm modem and Russian software to make VoLTE work on my 5G 2020 phone. I fear BYO mobile plans are dead now, buying direct from telcos is the only way they'll help you be able to make calls on your phone.
Seems like a lot of work to make VoLTE work on your phone. I have a budget Chinese phone from like 5 years ago and all I did was type in a code on the caller part and instantly got VoLTE without any interaction with my carrier (Vodafone) or any downsides at all.