With the advent of the NBN, land lines became too unreliable in many ares. Emergency 'phones (in lifts, for example) commonly went over to the 3G network. I gather they’re already transitioning to 4G.
Somehow, that doesn’t fill me with confidence.
So coverage will be just as good, but you might need an expensive booster. 
Perhaps not so challenging.
Telstra 4G on 700MHz vs 3G on 850MHz should have similar reach. Our 4GX data modem works ok if placed in a certain window, but I need to take the Telstra serviced mobile outside to connect to 3G!
June 2024 is how many replacement mobile handsets away from today? The churn on other 3G only infrastructure will be a cost. Assume the ATO will be considerate when it comes to the changeout?
Do you mean considerate to the consumers or the telcos?
Neither! I should have clarified.
True some personal owners keep mobile handsets for more than one or two or three years?
The focus of the article in Qld Country Life included land holders who typically use the services for much more than keeping up with face book. These customers have substantial business investments in mobile technology. All tax deductible, and deprecated assets. Any that are 3G only will need upgrade or replacement.
The change over may not come cheap. From time to time accelerated deductions are provided to business. Perhaps this example will need such consideration?
How many current Telstra customers have a 3G only mobile and expect to still have it in use in five years time. It seems like fair notice of the change?
Depends whether it’s the old (3G) asset or the new asset. For the old asset, just sell it and the depreciation will accelerate to completion immediately. For the new asset, accelerated depreciation remains in force up to $30k as far as I know.
(not an accountant, and not financial advice)
It isnt just rural areas that still need 3G, I’m in suburban Newcastle and my phone drops to 3G for calls. If I try to force 4G/LTE I get dropouts, so I have had to set the phone for data only on 4G. I’m only 14k from the centre of town. Theres a Telstra tower quite nearby, but I am on the other side of a hill from it. Theres an Optus tower closer, but I’m reading al over Whirlpool.net.au that Optus and Voda are still behind the 8ball with regard to reliability and stability of signal in many places. The end of 3G may force a change, for me.
We have better service connection in the house when comparing Optus with Telstra. Optus does drop back to 3G for voice in the house. The suggestion locally is that the 3G services of both will be replaced with 4G using the 700MHz band 28 which in theory has similar reach as the slightly higher frequency 3G services we will be loosing.
Our Optus 4G LTE supposedly comes via one of the higher frequency bands which does not have the same penetration. Every area will have it’s own unique circumstances. Worst case it may pay to buy a cheap prepaid SIM (assumes SIM cards still exist in the near future), to test each network option after the changeover.
If you are near a tower without something blocking the signal you will get decent reception. Most of the Whirlpool stuff is either about congestion (ie too many using the resources of the tower) or a lack of towers in the area. Buy a cheap Optus SIM and call package and try it, I think you will get good (better) outcomes than Telstra’s behind the hill one.
Yeah, I should do that before my 365 day Boost runs out so I know which way to jump
You could get similar information from a visiting mate who has an Optus (or Voda) plan. See what G their phone shows, and how many bars as compared to yours. Not quite as good a test as putting a SIM in your own phone, but convenient and probably close enough to determine if you want to play further. Another useful experiment is visiting a few web sites to see how good their backend systems are for net service. One can have a 5 bar signal and unusable internet response.
Not sure if there are still any out there but a few years ago some SIMs only used 3G but were cheap while others had 4G service where available. By now all those plans must have evolved to 4G where available, but assumptions are nothing but assumptions.
I actually don’t know anybody who still uses Optus or Voda!!
That seems like a local vote of confidence! In half my house Optus works a treat while Telstra is often unusable. In the other half Telstra is always fine and Optus goes missing. I have a dual SIM phone to cope.
Good idea, but I’ll use a second phone given that I’ve been iPhone since 2007. Fortunately I have one 
A mate can give you some idea of reception at the time they are there, having your own SIM in your phone can allow you to track reception during the hours you are most likely to use the connection. Both are relevant to checking the connection just that the latter offers a more lengthy check of quality and still at very little cost.
Currently (valid until 27/11) $20 gets you a SIM only prepaid worth $40 (28 day expiry) with 45 GB of data on first 3 recharges then 20 GB thereafter. $10 gets you a 5 day package with 5 GB data, 100 mins of national calls and unlimited SMS. I think either would be enough to test the waters and make a good call on whether to use Optus or one of it’s MVNOs:
https://www.optus.com.au/shop/mobile/prepaid/plans?SID=con:prehome:int3up:pos1:nov19:prep:plans
Dual-SIM phone?
Yes, but you need to be sure it can function with both SIMs at the same time on 4G?
We travel with an Optus phone plus older 3G phone with a Telstra SIM. The Telstra phone was also the only one that worked reliably around our small property or when visiting family. Only a little way off the beaten track.
In general we have zero issues with Optus service when travelling any of the major highways and larger communities. We do not need Telstra, until we travel to places most of us rarely see. In which instance having either a second phone, or swapping out the SIM in your unlocked phone while away, or dual SIM all sound good.
P.S.
To get the best out of Telstra when away from ‘The Bubble’ etc, the equivalent of a Telstra blue tick phone and external rod aerial can help the more adventuresome. Personally I’d prefer a Sat phone, two way and EPERB as was our practice when working remotely.
One of the benefits of being away from mobile reception is ‘being away from mobile reception’! 
4G yes. I would want 4G on both.
Otherwise depends on your requirements. For me “dual standby” is enough i.e. don’t need “dual active”.
(For example, as long as one SIM is working, I should be able to receive messages that come in via the internet, rather than messages that come in directly via the mobile phone network.)
It is a complex area of technology to juggle.
How will this work with e-SIMs? Will some manufacturers include two e-SIM modules, or one traditional SIM and one e-SIM?
Looks like a great marketing plan to take captives and keep them locked up!
I use iphone and have no plan to change that. For testing purposes, a second phone will be fine
