As we grow our mobile network around Australia and upgrade it with the latest technology, we occasionally come to a point where it is necessary to say goodbye to older technology, and to use the spectrum it was carried on to boost the performance of newer and more efficient technology.

In December 2016, we switched off our 2G technology to provide more spectrum for our 4G technology. Today, as part of our program to continually upgrade our network to the latest technology and expand our 4G and 5G coverage, we’re announcing the eventual switch-off of our 3G technology. This will not happen until June 2024 – more than four years away.

In May this year we launched 5G with the release of the first 5G devices in Australia. As an early adopter and pioneer of 5G, we are on the cusp of the latest mobile technology worldwide.

Telstra’s 5G technology is now available in selected sites within 10 cities around Australia, and over the next year we expect our coverage to expand to at least 35 Australian cities. Our investment to bring 5G to Australia is significant, and forms part of our around $8 billion of spend in our mobile network over the last five years (to 30 June 2019) to enhance the capacity and reach it is providing.

To help continue enhancing the network, it will eventually mean our older network technology will need to be switched off, so the spectrum that is used to carry data and voice calls over our oldest mobile network technology can be repurposed to help grow 5G.

Telstra’s 3G technology – which you might also know as NextG – was switched on in 2006, and was heralded at the time for its more reliable service, increased speeds and coverage, and what it enabled for customers and businesses on the go. It was the start of being able to send picture messages, stream video and access the internet on smartphones.

As networktechnologyadvances, we can use our network to deliver better experiences and meet the changing ways that we use mobile data.

Similarly to when we turned off our CDMA technology and re-purposed its 850MHz spectrum for 3G services, switching off 3G will let us again repurpose this same spectrum this time to 5G to allow us to continue growing and improving our latest generation 5G technology to meet your data needs in the future. The era of 5G will bring ever greater advancements in areas like mobile gaming, virtual reality experiences, HD video conferencing, driverless cars and other applications that haven’t even been dreamt up yet.

We are giving our customers more than four years’ notice to prepare for the change ahead of the June 2024 closure date.

Between now and then we’ll be upgrading and expanding our 4G coverage to a materially equivalent size and reach to our 3G footprint. Most customers will generally notice an improvement in speed when using a compatible device – in many cases a substantial one. We are working to assess our product range and all current areas with 3G only coverage in order to give you the best possible experience on 4G and 5G.

We are committed to delivering the best possible network for regional Australia. In 2011 we were the first carrier to extend 4G services into regional areas and we now reach 99.2 per cent of the Australian population. We are not going to rest on our laurels as we push forward into the era of 5G, and we are always going to strive to do the best we can for all our customers wherever they are across the country.

Mobile technology is progressing at a rapid pace. And Telstra is leading the way.