Telstra 2G network has been shut down

At 12.01am on 1 December 2016,  Telstra flipped the 'off switch' on its 2G network.

All 2G devices and SIM cards are no longer viable on the Telstra network. Don't be caught out by 2G devices or 2G SIM cards sitting in dormant monitoring machines.

2G in Business 

Yes, believe it or not, even in the business world there are still people out there who are using 2G SIM cards in their devices. To be fair, some of them may not even realise they are,  especially if they  have a 3G device which is running on a 2G SIM.

However, probably more relevant to business, is the 2G SIM cards that are sitting quietly monitoring machines which are activated only rarely if an alert needs to be sent. Then there will be the 2G SIM cards in devices which are used by groups of people like hand-held terminals and barcode readers; or that are situated remotely such as those vending machines or tracking devices in fleet vehicles. 

Not sure if you have 2G SIMs ?

Not sure if you have any 2G SIMs still being used in your business?

Enterprise business customers who are unsure whether they have any 2G SIM services on their account, can request a list from Telstra.

VoicePlus has been proactively working through 2G lists with our customers, migrating 2G SIMs over to new 4G SIMs.

What to do if you still have 2G 

Any 2G SIM cards and 2G mobile handheld, mobile broadband, tablets and wireless Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices will no longer operate on the Telstra Mobile Network. 

You’ll no longer be able to ‘see’ or connect to Telstra’s 2G network. Devices that were operating on 2G exclusively may remain in constant search mode, or display “SOS” or “Emergency Calls Only”. 

You can not make or receive voice calls or SMS, access voicemail or use data services.  Emergency calling will not be possible, unless it is within the network coverage area of another carrier that supports 2G.

If your device has stopped working you may have a 2G device or SIM card. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Check your SIM card

If your device has stopped working you should first check your SIM card.

• Turn your mobile device off
• Remove the SIM card

If your SIM card does not have the Next G™ or T™ logo on it, then you may have a 2G SIM.

Step 2. Check your mobile device

There are a number of different ways to determine whether your device is compatible with the 3G/4G Telstra Mobile Network:

• If you can see the following icons on your mobile, then your device will work with the 3G/4G network: 3G, H+, 4G or LTE
• You can use the Telstra online device identifier tool
• Follow the steps below to determine which network your mobile supports
  1. Go to Settings
  2. Go to Network Settings 
  3. Go to Network Operator or Network Selection
  4. Under Network Selection select Manual
  5. The device may list several networks. Below is an explanation of the various search results you can expect to find:

Network Available	Network Name	Supported
Telstra Mobile	This is Telstra Network: LTE/3G/2G
Telstra 3G Telstra UTMS	This is Telstra 3G Network.
Next G(3G)	This is Telstra 3G Network.
Telstra 2G Telstra GSM	This is Telstra 2G Network.

If no Telstra Network is listed you will need to upgrade your device..

Step 3. Check your mobile network settings

Contact VoicePlus CustomerCare to upgrade from 2G

VoicePlus can assist customers experiencing difficulty. We are also able to upgrade theTelstra service or 2G device.

Phone:  02 - 9334 5600

Email:   customercare@voiceplus.com.au

Web: www.voiceplus.com.au

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VoicePlus solves enterprise mobility problems. We are a managed mobility service provider delivering cost savings and enabling agile, productive teams to Australian business.