🇦🇺 3G network closure - Australia

[IainM]

@ddiluted1

Is there a reason the later FPs are being blocked at the border? Is it all to do with the recent changes made re: access to 000?

It seems to be part of a push from ACMA to clamp down on importation of a range of devices that are in breach of or aren’t certified against Australian regulatory requirements.

I don’t think we have any hard evidence but yes I think it’s a reasonable hypothesis that the clamp down is a result of the trouble the tens of thousands of uncertified devices caused ACMA in the lead up to and the aftermath of the 3G shutdown and the intertwined new emergency calling regulations.

[dt90125]

@IainM

Because there’s different attitudes among the networks about how to determine whether a phone can successfully use the camp on.

Ah, so the other networks will “allow it”, but not sure it will succeed (again, due to the absence of testing and hard cold facts). This makes the engineer in me twitch uncontrollably.

Thanks for that!

[ddiluted1]

We’ve never had cause to use 000 so am curious as to whether our call would get through.

[IainM]

Part of the trouble is it’s not as simple as that.

Multiple people in this thread can attest that they have either accidentally or in a time of need reached 000 from their FP5 (myself included).

But that doesn’t prove that it would also work when I wasn’t within range of my normal network. Or that it would work without a SIM installed. Or that it would correctly traverse the cascade of mechanisms that should be tried in what order. These are the sorts of things an accredited tester can test in a controlled environment, but is hard-to-impossible to determine via individuals doing random things in the real world. Hence @dt90125’s twitching as an engineer.

[kedurham]

I wonder if Sarah Henderson has a FP5? Seems her test 000 calls yesterday didn’t fall back to Optus or Voda.

[dt90125]

Time and again, they stress “don’t make test calls to 000”. Politician goes out and does exactly that. They should be publicly called out for that.

From one of Telstra CFO’s press meetings yesterday, it sounded like a significant fraction of the follow up call backs were to people “just testing”. Sheesh.

[IainM]

@kedurham

I wonder if Sarah Henderson has a FP5? Seems her test 000 calls yesterday didn’t fall back to Optus or Voda.

Haha. Yeah when I heard that Telstra was experiencing a partial outage where some calls get through and done don’t, I wondered if they’d ultimately cop flack for not wilting their network. I’d say this might be the beginning of that.

[kedurham]

I will definitely be switching my dormant FP5 on for the AusAlert national test next week (Victoria). Apparently any Android 12 and above should receive a message, even if not provisioned with a SIM.

It doesn’t mean much in itself but could be an interesting data point.

https://www.ausalert.gov.au/receiving-alert/compatible-mobile-devices

[Sir_Crispy_FP5]

Hi All

It’s been a little bit and I have another update nothing exciting, but lengthy though.

Before I get into it, I did receive the Aus Alert on my FP5.

Below is part of Optus response to me:

"

· The device is not sold by mainstream retailers in Australia (although it can be shipped internationally to Australia or could potentially be available via online marketplaces).

· There is no Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) nor Regulatory Compliance Mark attesting that the device meets Australian standards and regulations (such as the Telecommunications (Labelling Notice for Customer Equipment and Customer Cabling) Instrument 2025 (TLN) and Australian Standard S042.), as would otherwise be required for mobile phone devices supplied by Australian retailers.

· There is no evidence the device meets and is compliant with Australian telecommunications standards and regulations regarding emergency calling requirements.

· There is no Australian office/support or contact details for us to follow up with the manufacturer.

We further note:

· The ability to make voice calls is not reflective nor an effective test of whether a device is configured to meet all of Australia’s emergency calling requirements (including the requirement that a device will ‘camp on’ to another provider’s network if the Optus network is unavailable).

· We also understand that Telstra has blocked this device.

If the manufacturer provided evidence of testing / a Supplier Declaration of conformity (as per ACMA requirements Form C02: Supplier’s declaration of conformity | ACMA) / Regulatory Compliance Mark that the device is configured to and compliant with Australian telecommunications standards and regulations (including all emergency calling service requirements) we would be happy to revisit this decision.

"

Below is part of my response but it’s very unlikely they will respond to me.

The device is not sold by mainstream retailers in Australia

The Fair Phone 5 (FP5) is not sold in Australia, that is correct. Though nowhere in the legislation does it say a phone has to be blocked if it isn’t sold in Australia directly. Therefore this is not a valid argument or reason to block a mobile device. Also other Fairphone devices are not blocked on the Optus, Telstra or Vodafone network, how do you explain this?

Issue of FP5 not having Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC)

My understanding is the Supplier Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) standard exists for vendors and retailers looking to sell devices in Australia in a retail setting. Are you or Optus suggesting that only devices that will work on Optus network have to be sold by Optus?

There is no evidence the device meets and is compliant with Australian telecommunications standards and regulations regarding emergency calling requirements.

What evidence does Optus have that the FP5 it does not meet Australian telecommunication standards and regulations, when there is evidence to suggest otherwise? Why is Optus putting this on me the customer to address?

There are previous and current logs of FP5 being able to successfully make emergency calls on Telstra, Optus and Vodafone networks.

The official Fair Phone website says “it may not be fully supported”

That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work on Australian networks. There are multiple Fair Phone devices working on all networks in Australia at the moment, like FP4 and FP6 on the Optus network.

I also found out some other information, the likely reason Telstra blocked the phone in 2024 is because Telstra had VoLTE compatibility issues with their network. Generic/Global VoLTE Profiles (which are running by default on most new 4G/5G Devices) did not work on Telstra for normal 4G VoLTE Calls. Only 4G VoLTE 000 Calls worked. Telstra therefore saw a lot of 4G/5G phones as 3G Only for All Calls and blocked them.

Telstra have since fixed the problem but hasn’t yet unblocked the devices.

I’ve also asked if Optus would accept global testing and certification documentation for 4G VoLTE Calling, such as GSMA IR.92 Compliance testing and other ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute).

Seems the only way we’ll get any change to happen here is if more people complain to their local member or ACMA.