Thanks for sending that through including the video link. It’s quite helpful to have that.
Since the 3G shutdown in October last year there isn’t much visibility of what’s going on anymore with devices and notification to customers.
There are a whole range of issues around compliance with the Government’s Blocking Legislation and regulators are aware of the problems.
But the issues haven’t yet been addressed, it remains to be seen if they ever will. As per the below ABC Article.
Also, if you text ‘3’ to the number ‘3498’ in your SMS app what does it say?
Vodafone is the only provider still maintaining their SMS ‘Compatibility Checker’ tool. It should say if the phone is ‘compatible’ or not.
Vodafone also do not have a public IMEI/TAC checker tool either, unlike Telstra and Optus. So there is basically know real visibility with what’s blocked. Let alone why. (That’s true of all of them).
Generally speaking the carriers have made a lot of assumptions and shortcuts, particularly for phones they didn’t sell or their partners didn’t sell.
They also have very poor data for what actually works and doesn’t.
The telcos also continue to block perfectly compatible phones that support Emergency Calling on every network that follow global standards, whilst not blocking all devices that don’t work.
There are basically zero recourses for consumers that have had 4G/5G phones blocked in error.
People were put out of pocket hundreds to thousands of dollars for new phones, many of which they didn’t need to buy.
Tens to hundreds of Millions in extra costs have been borne by consumers for what was by all accounts a mismanaged and premature network transition.
Hugh Jeffreys - Australia’s New Firewall IMEI BLOCKED 516,875 Active Phones Overnight + Tourists Phones Blocked - YouTube
I suspect that perhaps with the recent Optus 000 issues, and some other things I am aware of, that the telcos might be turning up the dial on anything they think might be incompatible for any reason. (Though the Optus issue was a network failure, not directly a device issue.)
Again there is no visibility or transparency with what’s blocked and why. Nor why the telcos continue to block devices that work for Emergency Calling on every 4G network.
Phones that require 3G for Emergency Calls will never connect when calling 000, the phone will stay stuck on ‘calling’ forever. (As shown in the above Hugh Jeffreys YouTube Video).
If your phone is going to be blocked there are strict requirements under legislation regarding notification periods, and they also must provide you information on ‘low or no cost’ alternatives.
(Though there isn’t any requirement to provide ‘like-for-like’ replacements, I also don’t think the legislation covers anything regarding blocking phones the telcos think need updating)
Also for reference the AMTA value (Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association) for the Vodafone result on the ITPB site is basically Whitelisting result for the Australian Market. (Vodafone have no Checker tool, so there is nothing else I could scrape.)
‘Nothing/CMF’ have gone through the formal processes to ensure that model is Allowed and whitelisted on Australian networks. However that whitelisting for whatever reason might be subject to a minimum software version. (IMEI-SV) (Somewhat dumb considering the device would likely work out of the box with all FW versions)
It would be helpful to know what the stock Firmware IMEI-SV value is and compare if it’s higher than the ‘12’ you have.
Realistically that’s the only likely element that it could be, given device IMEI information that can be checked by the providers.
Telstra also uses the IMEI-SV information to force outbound messages on “Not Blocked” devices.
Though generally I believe this says “You may have reduced network connectivity and will not always be able to call 000, for your safety upgrade to a compatible device now, call Telstra for more.”
I don’t think Optus uses IMEI-SV for anything.
So you might be able to switch to Optus (or an Optus MVNO) and not have any issues.
Again the IMEI-SV is a very poor indicator of the software capabilities of a device, particularly for anything that’s not an iPhone.
Looking online as well, some other people have reported getting the same message with Samsung Galaxy S20’s, also on Vodafone/Lebara.
Thread on ozbargain called “Phone to Be Blocked Due to Lack of Software Update” from the 30th.
ozbargain.com.au/node/926352
I’m going to look into this a bit more because this concerning.
I would also suggest that you write to the Federal Communications Minister about this issue as well as formally writing to your Local MP. Only complaints can change this.
You should also write to the Mobile Regulator (ACMA) and the Consumer Regulator (ACCC), as you bought the phone locally. (Signing the Change. org Petition also helps)
I wouldn’t necessarily mention or focus on that you are running e/os, you are entitled to do so, it’s your phone, but you may get ignored if you focus on it. You are just running Android.
Just be sure it can actually call 000 and that e/OS hasn’t broken anything (see previous Medium post). Given people with S20’s are getting the same message it indicates to me something IMEI-SV related is going on, nothing with e/OS specifically. (Probably)
There seems to be some panic responses going on, at least perhaps anyway.
Which given what I know isn’t a surprise but is again of concern.