The impending 3G network shutdown

[Freizeitpilot]

Just wondering if anyone touring Australia is concerned with the impending 3G network shutdown from June this year and its potential impact on coverage, even at altitude, in less populated areas ?

 

No big deal, don’t care, little mobile coverage once you leave the coast anyway ??
 

Opinions ??

 

FP

[facthunter]

Well Somebody Told Mal Turnbull Who "Practically INVENTED the Internet"  THAT HIS. JOB was to" DESTROY" the NBN.. My totally wrecked copper  network that hasn't been worth a Pincha for nigh on 40 Years is NOW fixed. Perhaps it's another Miracle?  Last time I "DID" the Nullarbour there was NO signal for 3 days.  . Keeps You on your toes. Better than Baghdad, Maybe?

[BurnieM]

As there has been a lack of mobile communication (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) over large areas of Australia for decades, what is your plan b (communications and survival) ?

 

Edited March 29 by BurnieM

[jackc]

I have global Internet coverage via HF Radio…….cant talk, but can send emails IF the whole of the Internet crashes all over Australia.

[Freizeitpilot]

59 minutes ago, BurnieM said:

As there has been a lack of mobile communication (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) over large areas of Australia for decades, what is your plan b (communications and survival) ?

 

The survival question can be generally answered by the carriage of an ELT and the more recent iPhones having satellite text message capability.

I was more interested in any perceived impact on general communications now we live in such a connected world.  With that context, what are the potential impacts on recreational flying, and any mitigations if needed ?

[turboplanner]

Is anyone on 3G these days?

 

[Freizeitpilot]

In some semi-remote areas, it’s 3G or nothing.

 

 

[sfGnome]

The biggest issue with the 3G shutdown is that a lot of older phones automatically switch to 3G (and only 3G) for emergency calls. I presume that was because the designers thought that 3G had a better chance of getting through in remote locations, but it’ll mean that they won’t get through at all after the shutdown, and the worst aspect of that is that they won’t know that their phone won’t work for 000 until they try it…

[jackc]

2 hours ago, turboplanner said:

Is anyone on 3G these days?

 

Yep, my old iPhone 4S is still running like a clock, until ‘D’ (disconnect) day…….

[Marty_d]

We're in a mobile dead spot - a lot of the time my phone only connects to 3g.  Which is a bugger, I really don't want to buy a new one.

[onetrack]

You're supposed to have trashed all that "old technology by now. The problem is, a lot of stuff that isn't voice communication still relies on 3G.

 

State Water Supply Depts rely on 3G networks to keep track of water levels in reservoirs and tanks are a typical example. It's going to create a lot of additional costs for a lot of people and Govt Depts.

 

3G network shutdown Australia: When is Australia's 3G network shutting down, why it's happening, what you need to do | Explained

WWW.9NEWS.COM.AU

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It's been a feature of Australian phone coverage for decades, but within nine months all of Australia's 3G ...

 

[jackc]

I have no sympathy for Council  and State Water Supply SCADA systems that once used dedicated UHF commercial radio links and smart engineers changed over to 3rd party mobile phone systems to carry the system data.  I always said, never put your data bearers in the hands of a third party.  
Every system I designed or commissioned used dedicated radio links that were owner maintained, by their nominated equipment supplier.

Seems the wheel has turned now, with 3G disappearing.  I will watch and…….wait. 

[turboplanner]

8 hours ago, Freizeitpilot said:

In some semi-remote areas, it’s 3G or nothing.

 

 

That's not a terribly persuasive argument; not a lot of towers required for a much better service.

[turboplanner]

5 hours ago, jackc said:

I have no sympathy for Council  and State Water Supply SCADA systems that once used dedicated UHF commercial radio links and smart engineers changed over to 3rd party mobile phone systems to carry the system data.  I always said, never put your data bearers in the hands of a third party.  
Every system I designed or commissioned used dedicated radio links that were owner maintained, by their nominated equipment supplier.

Seems the wheel has turned now, with 3G disappearing.  I will watch and…….wait. 

NRLs are switchable 3G/4G/5G, ethernet, LoRan, Inmarsat.

 

At Wilcannia 3 am this morning the Darling water level was 1.19m and flow rate 1025 ml/day

 

At Binnowie, Ward River, Warrego Basin in Central Queensland at 3 am this morning the water level is 1.903 m. flow 1,936 Ml/day.

 

We can compare them after 3 G ceases and see what happens.

[ClintonB]

My Cel fi runs best on 3G,I had coverage 99% of the drive from Tamworth to coast. When my phone died new one couldn’t use 3G, signal now poop. New Cel fi is $1400 for 5G model only 18 months after buying last one.

1st one when into my shack and went from no signal to internet on 4 or more devices at same time, it too will be obsolete when signal turned off.

makes you sceptical why they can’t just be reprogrammed or reconditioned to work on new signal.

 

[spacesailor]

They ' possibly ' can be upgraded .

But they want your money.  They can & do sell refurbished items overseas .

For the lower technology country's. 

Then those country's will be cut off & upgraded later.

spacesailor

[turboplanner]

28 minutes ago, spacesailor said:

They ' possibly ' can be upgraded .

But they want your money.  They can & do sell refurbished items overseas .

For the lower technology country's. 

Then those country's will be cut off & upgraded later.

spacesailor

For people on a flying forum, I'm surprised anyone is still on 3G.

I bought a 4g Mobile phone for bore camera and engine work and it cost me a whole $45.00, and you can get an unlimited data plan to access the net from Optus for about $90 per month.

[Marty_d]

It's not a matter of having a phone that can only do 3g, in many areas of Australia you can only GET 3g service.  No matter if your phone is 4g or even 5g.

[turboplanner]

5 hours ago, Marty_d said:

It's not a matter of having a phone that can only do 3g, in many areas of Australia you can only GET 3g service.  No matter if your phone is 4g or even 5g.

We did address that related to the 3/4/5G map showing remote parts of NSW, SA, NT above and the very few 3G towers left to replace there to match all existing areas on the map. Note that there is more area there that has no 3/4/5G coverage and  they use different methods of communication.

If you want to satisfy yourself, you can get similar coverage maps for the whole of Australia.

[facthunter]

It's the" AW, Gee" you have to be careful with.  and reset the  one in the plane to get a current indication.. Nev

[bushcaddy105]

We live in a valley with 4 Telstra mobile towers within 15kM. No signal from any of them, all "over the hill". We feed our Celfi with a weak Telstra signal from a tower 27kM away. Good 4G most of the time, but some weather conditions drop it to 3G.

5G? What's that? Never likely to see it here! BUT, we live in a special spot and are happy to accept what we have.

[jackc]

11 hours ago, turboplanner said:

We did address that related to the 3/4/5G map showing remote parts of NSW, SA, NT above and the very few 3G towers left to replace there to match all existing areas on the map. Note that there is more area there that has no 3/4/5G coverage and  they use different methods of communication.

If you want to satisfy yourself, you can get similar coverage maps for the whole of Australia.

Coverage maps tell lies……the truth lies in actual field testing with a consumers phone. 

[turboplanner]

19 minutes ago, jackc said:

Coverage maps tell lies……the truth lies in actual field testing with a consumers phone. 

You'd hope they would wash the maps with a topograpical map based on the towers, but a lot of people tell lies these days.

 

 

[Carbon Canary]

I believe one of the issues is that 3G operates at 700mhz and 4G operates at 850mhz. 4G has approx a 10 fold performance gain, but coverage may not penetrate as far in the 3G areas it replaces…..but I’m no expert in these matters.

 

As others have mentioned, generally ANY coverage is poor once you leave populated areas anyhow.  Maybe Starlink is the answer.

[turboplanner]

17 minutes ago, Carbon Canary said:

I believe one of the issues is that 3G operates at 700mhz and 4G operates at 850mhz. 4G has approx a 10 fold performance gain, but coverage may not penetrate as far in the 3G areas it replaces…..but I’m no expert in these matters.

 

As others have mentioned, generally ANY coverage is poor once you leave populated areas anyhow.  Maybe Starlink is the answer.

Sounds about right. 4g offsets this with more towers. Cross country aircraft have HF for outback operation.