Telstra is to give away about 12,000 mobile phones to customers considered in "difficult situations" living in rural areas, and the elderly, to help their transition to the 4G network.
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The national telco said the complementary handsets were for customers who may need some external support to stay connected when the 3G network closed on August 31.
It has specified customers in difficult situations facing financial hardship, or recovering from a natural disaster or living with a life-threatening medical condition and requiring a working phone as part of Telstra's 'Priority Assistance' program.
Many of these customers were over 80 years old and living in regional areas, which made visiting Telstra stores challenging.
The company would be contacting eligible customers in coming weeks to let them know a device is on its way.
"All they have to do is follow the instructions in their package to switch to their new phone on the 4G network," said Telstra consumer segment executive, Marty McGrath.
The initiative has won applause from the Salvation Army's Major Brendan Nottle.
"Connection is one of the most important things to maintain in our society, whether it is with friends and family or with housing and support services," he said.
"This initiative will benefit the most vulnerable members of our community.
"Ensuring that every Australian, from any background or level of income, can take part in our modern digital society is crucial."
Telstra said while most customers still using 3G devices were aware and able to take action, the telco wanted to ensure it was paying attention to the needs of those needing an extra hand ahead of the upcoming transition.
About 156,000 Telstra consumer and small business customers have a handset that is either 3G-only, or does not support Voice over 4G (VoLTE), has 4G coverage limitations, or is 4G enabled but hardwired to use 3G for emergency calls.
These devices will need to be replaced before the 3G closure.
Telstra has initiated a warning to 3G handset users in this group which will automatically issue a pre-recorded message when they make an outgoing call on their mobile phone, reminding them to upgrade.
"If you are one of these customers, please don't ignore it," Mr McGrath said.
"It is there to remind you that your phone won't work after 31 August, and you should act now before the network closes.
"Any new phone you buy from us will work on 4G and 5G networks..
Upgrading did not have to cost a lot of money.
"Not all devices are created equal but there are many handsets available which will work once we say goodbye to 3G," Mr McGrath said.
"You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars to update your handset - there are many affordable options available.
"If you live regionally, we recommend you consider a Blue Tick device, which is a mark that we give phones we've tested that deliver superior voice coverage in rural and regional areas.
"Take the time to consider what you'll be using your device for before you upgrade and find one that suits your needs."
The Telstra T-Essential was available from $79, or a more basic Telstra T-Lite was $59.
Andrew Marshall
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
Andrew Marshall is the group agribusiness writer for ACM's state agricultural weeklies and websites. He is a former editor at The Land and has worked in various Rural Press group roles in Canberra, North Richmond (NSW) and Toowoomba (Qld).
