The 3G shutdown means these 4G phones will no longer be able to make calls

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 14 March 2024

Australia's impending 3G network shutdown naturally means 3G phones will stop working, but it's also bad news for some 4G phones.

4G phones can't make phone calls over a 4G network unless they support VoLTE (Voice over LTE). Many earlier 4G devices didn't, which means they'll effectively become data-only devices after Telstra and Optus shut down their 3G networks later this year.

What makes this a little more complicated is the fact that VoLTE compatibility can differ between Telstra and Optus. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S6 supports VoLTE on Optus, but it doesn't support it on Telstra. The Galaxy S7 was the first VoLTE-compatible S-series phone for Telstra customers.

The good news is that phones that don't support VoLTE tend to be pretty old. The iPhone 5S is the oldest iPhone not to have VoLTE support, and that launched in 2013. If you're still using a phone that old, upgrading is a good idea anyway, because it will no longer be receiving security or software updates.

Here's a list of popular 4G phones that will no longer work on the Telstra network after it shuts down 3G in June:

iPhone 5
iPhone 5C
iPhone 5S
Galaxy S5
Galaxy S6
Galaxy S6 Edge
Galaxy Note 4

And here's a list of popular 4G phones that will no longer work on the Optus network after it shuts down 3G in September:

iPhone 5
iPhone 5C
iPhone 5S
Galaxy S5
Galaxy Note 4
Google Pixel 2 XL
Huawei Y6 Prime
Optus X Smart 4G
OPPO A57
OPPO F1s

Vodafone started shutting down its 3G network in December last year, and finished deactivating it in January.

VoLTE phones have been widely available for many years now, across all price brackets. Every iPhone from the iPhone 6 and up supports it, for example. If you've got an Android phone that supports VoLTE, you'll see a little VoLTE icon next to the 4G or 5G icon in the top right corner of your screen when connected to a mobile network.

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Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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