Appendix 4Correspondence from the Committee Chair to Telstra
31 July 2024
Ms Vicki Brady
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Telstra
Dear Ms Brady,
INQUIRY INTO THE SHUTDOWN OF THE 3G MOBILE NETWORK
As you are aware, on 26 March 2024, the Australian Senate referred an inquiry into the shutdown of the 3G mobile network to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee (the committee) for inquiry and report by 30 November 2024. On behalf of the committee, I am writing to urge that the shutdown of the 3G mobile network be postponed.
At a recent hearing in Cooma, the committee heard that there are nearly one million active devices that will cease to function once the 3G network is closed (including close to 380000 mobile devices). The committee is alarmed that many consumers are not aware that they may not be able to contact emergency services once the network closes.
The committee has heard that work remains ongoing to properly prepare the Australian telecommunications sector and the community for the shutdown of the 3G mobile network. There is still much work to complete in the limited time left. The committee is particularly concernedthat the number of 3G non-mobile devices remains unknown. These devices span industries including health, security, surveying, agriculture, personal medical alerts, and safety and asset tracking equipment. It would not be prudent to shut down the network without properly understanding the risks to small business, health and safety. The committee is also concerned about the large number of devices in use that will no longer connect to triple zero services once the network closes.
The committee acknowledges and commends the efforts of mobile network operators in proactively reaching out to owners of affected devices in the lead-up to the scheduled shutdown and notes that the majority of mobile users will be unaffected.
However, the full extent of non-mobile devices that could be impacted is not yet clear. It is of great concern that Telstra are only now starting to identify some types of devices that are likely to be impacted, such as emergency phones in elevators.
We acknowledge that there have been significant recent efforts to alert mobile phone users on whether they could be impacted. However, the full extent of the mobile phones impacted by the shutdown only became apparent six months ago. We do not believe this is a reasonable amount of time for consumers to become aware that their phone may not work and to take steps to replace it.The committee urges that Telstra voluntarily agree to extend the 3G network shutdown to further account for these issues. The postponement should last until every reasonable effort has been made to contact affected consumers, to identify the number and type of devices likely to be impacted, and to assist consumers with the migration and upgrade of these devices. It is particularly critical that such measures are taken for customers whose devices will no longer connect to triple zero services and those whose non-mobile devices will no longer operate following the shutdown.
The committee has written in similar terms to Optus.
The committee has also written to the Hon Michelle Rowland MP, Minister for Communications urging her to work with Telstra and Optus to delay the shutdown of the network so that the concerns raised by the committee and the community can be properly addressed.
Yours sincerely,
Senator the Hon Matt Canavan
Chair
