PB Tech offers fix for Xiaomi phones as 3G network shutdown looms
PB Tech says it has a workaround for those who’ve recently spent hundreds of dollars on a “4G” Xiaomi phone – only to find it’s only capable of 3G calls at a time when Spark, One NZ and 2degrees are just months away from closing their 3G mobile networks.
The Herald recently highlighted the cases of two pensioners who, separately, had bought Xiaomi phones (one for $529 in March this year, the other for $255 last year) under the misapprehension they would be fully functional after the 3G shutdown. Industry insiders say thousands will be in the same position.
PB Tech has now posted a series of instructions on how to activate “VoLTE” – the 4G and 5G calling technology used by our three mobile networks.
If they are confused by the multi-stop guide, customers can go to a store for free assistance, PB Tech general manager Richard Elstob said.
“Today we will also update our Xiaomi phone product pages to clarify that currently VoLTE needs to be manually activated pending an upcoming software update from Xiaomi,” Elstob said.
“A sticker will then be attached to the packaging of all Xiaomi phones we have in stock so purchasers can be made aware of the solution. This last step will commence on Friday this week and we expect could take up to five working days to complete.”
Elstob said the workaround is temporary, “while we wait for Xiaomi to apply a software update which will enable VoLTE automatically”.
Consumer NZ: Good to hear
“It’s good to hear the retailer has found a solution for customers and to ensure it is complying with the law,” Consumer NZ’s Nick Gelling told the Herald.
“We’re also pleased to hear that Xiaomi will enable 4G calling remotely on all supported models, rendering this workaround unnecessary.”
Earlier, before the fix, Consumer NZ said buyers of 3G calling-only Xiaomi phones (also sold by Mighty Ape and Parallel Imported) should be refunded under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
Multiple complaints to watchdog
Last month, the Commerce Commission said it had received 10 complaints relating to product workability after the 3G shutdown.
The watchdog wouldn’t comment on which companies or brands were involved.
“Under the Fair Trading Act, traders should not mislead consumers about the products and services that they sell,” ComCom general manager for fair trading Vanessa Horne said.
“Traders should inform consumers of any upcoming changes when selling devices that may no longer work once the changes to 3G are implemented.
“In addition, traders must not mislead consumers about their rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act [CGA]. If consumers purchase a 3G device without being informed of the shutdown, they may have grounds for a complaint under the CGA.”
Mighty Ape and Parallel Imported did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Is your phone ready for the 3G shutdown? It might not be, even if relatively new
The Telecommunications Carriers Forum, which represents the major telcos, is warning that it’s not just older phones that will be affected by the 3G shutdown – due by year’s end for 2degrees and One NZ and March next year for Spark.
Parallel-imported phones might not be enabled for the “VoLTE” standard used for voice calls over their 4G and 5G networks.
The telcos estimate there are thousands of parallel-imported phones that won’t be ready for the switch-off.
You can text 3G to 550 from your mobile phone to get an instant reply telling you if it will still work for voice calls after the 3G shutdown.
The forum also warns that lots of smart devices, from home alarms to medical trackers, car navigation systems and more, connect to 3G.
Owners are advised to check with their retailer or the manufacturer – and to do so now to avoid the end-of-year rush.
Various upgrades are under way by IoT (internet of things) device operators.
Bluecurrent (formerly Vector Metering) said on June 26 that it has replaced more than one million power meters running on 2G or 3G.
“The push is on for the remaining 45,000 or so of our meters that still need to be upgraded,” said chief customer officer Matt Bostwick.
He was confident of meeting the December deadline. The firm had been upgrading 40,000 smart meters per month at the height of its upgrade programme, Bostwick said.
Beyond parallel-imported recent phones, older phones - most more than a decade old - won’t work for voice calls after the 3G shutoff.
Spark says the most common 3G phones on its network are:
Overall, the telco says around 4% of the 2.5 million or so devices on its network are still running on 3G.
Chris Keall is an Auckland-based member of the Herald’s business team. He joined the Herald in 2018 and is the technology editor and a senior business writer.