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Explainer - It is nearly the end of the year. Do you know where your 3G is?
The 3G mobile network that once kicked off the explosion in smartphones across New Zealand started to shut down this past weekend.
It is meant to allow full transition and spectrum space for the faster newer-generation 4G and 5G networks.
All three main mobile operators - Spark, 2degrees and One NZ - are shutting down their 3G networks and upgrading their sites to either 4G or 5G.
The shutdown was originally flagged to be "by Christmas," but will extend slightly into 2026.
Telecommunications experts are now giving one last set of warnings for people to check their devices for compatibility.
Most people will not notice a difference as 3G fades out, but people with older phones - or certain wired devices like home security systems - need to pay attention, says Telecommunications Forum chief executive Paul Brislen.
What is 3G, anyway?
The 3G network brought us the world of the internet in our pockets, allowing real mobile internet access and the start of streaming audio and low-resolution audio. It was revolutionary at the time it started to first roll out in New Zealand around 2005, but technology has moved on quickly.
"It was introduced way back when the iPhones first launched," Brisle
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