It will be cheaper for all the telcos to switch to 4G and 5G only. One NZ said it will see a 10% reduction in its power bill because more modern 4G and 5G infrastructure is more power-efficient. Customers on any network can text 3G to 550 to see if their phone is ready for the shutdown. One NZ said fewer than 3% of devices on its network still relied on 3G. The three mobile players say 4G or 5G has been installed in every rural and urban area where 3G service is being withdrawn.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 11, 2026 01:32 UTC