Webinar: Managing the risks due to 3G network closure

Webinar provides guidance on upcoming 3G network shutdown, including actions those affected need to take

HVIA Chief Technical Officer Adam Ritzinger recently contributed to a webinar organised by Austroads and Transport Certification Australia (TCA) which provides high-level information on the impacts of the Australian 3G shutdown and what local government and transport industry need to do to prepare for the transition.

Presenters also include David McIntosh, Telstra’s National Telematics Domain Lead; Michael Reynolds, Head of Network Products, Programs and Services at Optus; Mark Joselin, Followmont Transport Compliance Manager; and John Gordon, Manager Strategic Development at TCA.

As previously reported in Talk the Torque, between December 2023 and September 2024 Telstra, Optus and Vodafone will close their 3G networks to make room for new, faster services. The 3G network shutdown will affect vital equipment and services across the road transport sector.

According to an overview of the 55-minute webinar, devices that rely on 3G will no longer function and need to be upgraded or replaced to continue operating. Commonly affected devices include:

• Telematics and vehicle/asset tracking devices installed in heavy and light vehicles, as well as general assets such as trailers, generators, etc;
• Traffic management signs used in school zones, intersections and freeways;
• Weather systems and stations;
• Alarms/building entry;
• Devices that incorporate gateway or mesh backhaul;
• Personal Emergency Response (PER) systems; and
• Phones and tablets.

Businesses, government, and industry are being urged to commence their transition immediately to avoid lapses in vital equipment and services across the road transport sector.

Early transition and planning are vital given the large number of devices affected by the shutdown. The migration process can take months, and timing is dependent on the number of affected devices and the availability of installers.

New Zealand is also shutting down their 3G network. The country will close their services between August next year and the end of 2025.

Ritzinger advises those affected to work with their telematics system provider to identify which vehicles in their fleet are fitted with 3G systems, review the market to find a system provider and product that best suits their needs, and arrange for any necessary systems to be upgraded.

“It is critical to act quickly,” he adds.

The webinar is available here: https://austroads.com.au/publications/freight/web-3g-23.