Telstra and Optus should delay their proposed shutdown of the 3G network until Mallee residents have been assisted properly into 4G – or the Albanese Government should force them to, Member for Mallee and Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health Dr Anne Webster said today.

Dr Webster’s call came after a recent report recommended Communications Minister Michelle Rowland should use her powers to impose conditions on Telstra and Optus to guarantee equivalent coverage to 3G levels on the 4G changeover, if the carriers refused to do so.

The Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport (References) called on the Minister to urgently meet with Telstra and Optus about the 3G shutdown.

“I called on Labor to act on this serious problem for regional health, our communities and farmers almost 4 months ago. Labor are in a black spot of inaction for regional Australians who rely on the mobile network for emergency communications, their health devices and services, farm technologies and just to stay connected,” Dr Webster said.

“Sunraysia residents, in particular, are already stinging after a joint venture switched off the Channel Ten digital TV signal.  They know how it feels to be stranded and another signal disconnection would increase their understandable sense that Labor sees them as second-class Australians.”

Telstra had planned to shut down their 3G signal by July, but now plans to do so by 31 August. Optus will switch their 3G signal off in September.  An Optus spokesperson told the inquiry 176,000 handsets could be disconnected when 3G was switched off.

The Costa Group made a submission to the inquiry saying they were concerned their service provider could meet their timeline to provide access to the 4G network, stating:

“the 3G network makes it possible to control and monitor our crops, including the operation of irrigation, fertigation and other key production plant and equipment. Without these, our crops and especially the yield and quality will be compromised. The losers from this will be the Australian population, who would likely face shortages and increased prices for fresh produce as a result.”

The National Rural Health Alliance in their submission stated:

“The 3G network shutdown issue is amplified for people living in rural areas due to a number of factors, including limited availability of aged care and disability service providers, socioeconomic disadvantage, poorer mobile reception, and large geographic distances to cover in an emergency.”

“As the Member for Mallee and Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health, I am alarmed that Telstra and Optus would be willing to put public health and our regional economies at risk due to poor handling of the 3G-to-4G transition with their customers,” Dr Webster said.

“I call upon the Minister to indicate to Mallee residents what she is doing to prevent regional Australians yet again being stranded by the Albanese Labor Government.”