A few years back, Vodafone announced plans to stick a fork in 2G by September 2017, however, it actually lived on a bit longer than that. But this borrowed time is about to expire, with the company declaring a real end to its 2G network, starting on April 30.
While Vodafone’s website states the shutdown will occur at the close of April, this only marks that start of a staggered schedule, with Queensland affected first and NSW and the ACT last, as Ausdroid’s Daniel Tyson elaborates:
- From April 30: Queensland
- From 14 May 2018: Victoria and Tasmania
- From 28 May 2018: Western Australia, South Australia and Northern Territory
- From 14 Jun, 2018: New South Wales and ACT
If you’re reading this, I’m going to guess you’re not using a pre-2G phone. However, it might be best to check up on your less tech-savvy friends and family, especially those who might rely on their phone for special care or emergency services, as not even 000 will work once the network goes down:
What does the 2G shutdown mean for me?
If you’re a Vodafone customer and still using a 2G device, you have until the 30 April 2018, to move across to 3G or 4G.After 30 April 2018, you’ll no longer be able to make or receive calls, including emergency calls, send or receive text messages, or use data services.
The easiest way to check is to look at the signal symbol — “E”, “EDGE” or “GPRS” all mean the phone’s using 2G.
Goodbye, sweet 2G. You had a good run.