Dunedin will tomorrow become the first place in New Zealand to lose access to One New Zealand’s 3G network – kicking off a nationwide switch-off across all major telcos.
One NZ said retiring the ageing technology would allow it to free up valuable radio spectrum to boost its 4G and 5G services.
"After years of preparation and customer communication, Dunedin will be the first city where we switch off 3G, starting tomorrow on Tuesday 20 January," said One NZ chief technology officer Kieran Byrne.
"Switching off 3G lets us deploy more of our radio spectrum into 4G and 5G, meaning faster speeds, better coverage and a more reliable network for our customers."
One NZ said most Kiwis already used phones that ran on 4G or 5G.
In 2025, the company completed 258 mobile network upgrades, and every One NZ mobile site was now equipped with 4G, with many also supporting 5G.
Byrne said some customers may not realise their phone still relied on 3G to make calls.
"Most customers are already on 4G and 5G but, if you or someone in your whānau is still using a phone that relies on 3G for calling, now’s the time to upgrade."
All major mobile operators — Spark, 2degrees and One NZ — were retiring their 3G networks to support faster modern technologies.
2degrees began turning off its 3G network in December 2025, progressively disabling sites across the country.
Spark, meanwhile, confirmed it would fully shut down its 3G network onMarch 31, 2026, completing the phase-out across New Zealand.
New Zealanders on any mobile network could free text 3G to 550 to check whether their phone supported 4G calling.
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