As most of us know, Australia phasing out 3G in its shift to 4G and 5G technologies.

So, anyone who had a 3G phone would have upgraded now, so as to not lose coverage.

So, all set now, right? Wrong.

There are so many other devices which may be affected and no longer work once the 3G network is shut off. And the list of affected items is so much larger than you may have considered.

• These include livestock monitoring devices, medical alarms, and other medical devices.
• Mobile broadband modems and Wi-Fi signal repeaters.
• Power generators, solar panels, smart meters for water, gas and electricity, and energy storage systems.
• Second-hand or refurbished phones, or phones purchased overseas, smart fencing and gate control systems.
• Smart watches and other wearables.
• Antennas and wireless-to-landline links.
• Autonomous farming robots.
• Drones and other UAVs.
• EFTPOS terminals and other finance systems.
• GPS systems in machinery or vehicle fleets.
• Weather stations, soil and water sensors and other on-farm data collection equipment.
• Wired or remote security cameras, closed network security systems and alarms.

The key thing is residents are more likely to be directly impacted by the conclusion as there is much more dependence on 3G networks for communication in these areas.

There is not too long to go until the shut off happens.

Telstra and Optus have extended their switch off date, with both carriers now set to switch off their 3G networks from October 28 this year.

Upgrading to 4G or 5G capable devices before this date is essential to ensure continued access to data, voice calls, SMS/text messaging, and emergency

Another urgent result of the shut down is if you have not upgraded your phone, as of October 28, you will not be able to call Triple Zero (000) in the event of an emergency.

Find out what network your mobile service provider uses if you are not a direct customer of Telstra or Optus.

Check if device to make sure you are not caught short, and that it does support 4G/5G. To test whether or not your device will be affected, you can text the number 3 to 3498.

Search your device's 15-digit IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number via the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA)'s 'Check My Device' tool.

Even if your communication device is 4G/5G capable, check if it has VoLTE (Voice over LTE) capability. 

Follow the same process for your other devices that connect to a mobile network. Contact the manufacturer of a device as soon as possible if you are unsure whether or not it will continue working after the shutdown.