I've been pondering about if to create a poll, as there are several posts and scattered comments from users reporting their device has been blocked.
I've created this post/poll to have an idea on which networks are going rough on blocking.
If your device has been blocked, upvote the option (network) which you were on and got blocked.
Optional – Mention your device model in comments; which has got blocked.
Why do you use bold like that?
Like what ?
Hmmm, good question.
You can probably simplify the poll by grouping, for example telstra
Initially thought of doing that, but various MVNOs and main operators are blocking independent of each other.
Nope, I'm good but my devices are all local bought. Mum's Nokia 2660 Flip 4G is still working fine.
Nope, I'm good but my devices are all local bought.
local bought phones have been blocked too…
Daughter’s phone is hard blocked on Aldi. Ironically it was a Aus purchased Xiaomi Redmi phone from JB back in Dec last year.
Sim is not blocked though. If I put it in a known working phone, it still works fine.
wonder if you can contact Consumer Affairs and see if you're eligible for a partial refund?
It's been known that this was coming, and if JB knew that the device would be blocked, they shouldn't have been selling it
I wouldn't be asking for a partial refund, it's a materialistic issue that would've stopped me from buying the phone in the first place. Under ACL that's enough for a full refund.
Gerry's free Nokias have a multi year warranty
just pricebeat them at OW
It warrants a full refund mate not partial refund or else government has to put both Xiaomi and Telstra to task and make sure they support each other via whatever change they do. Because at a hardware level most of the Xiaomi phones doo support 4G 28 Band. So it is definitely not a spec issue at play here
and if JB knew that the device would be blocked
JB would not have known.
To be fair, I don't think JB could have known though. I'd rather go to ACCC or whatever body and seek compensation from Aldi/Telstra, assuming the device satisfies all the requirements, as they should have checked properly before blocking it.
This is how they are treating phones only the ones they have tested are being whitelisted. Everyone else gets actively blocked
@knobbs: I know, but I don't think the retailers can be blamed as they have no way to know which models would be blocked. I think the Telcos should take responsibility for blocking devices that are clearly compatible and satisfy all the requirements.
@RiseAndRuin: The retailers should know the specs and capabilities of the products they are selling.
@Trance N Dance: They do. Telstra are blocking some phones which fully support 4G VoLTE on ch28.
It is Telstra who is getting it wrong.
@joelmuzz: It’s a lot more complicated than band 28 support and VoLTE. If the phone doesn’t properly support E000 (according to their records), Telstra will also block it.
There are phones out there that fully support 4G / 5G connectivity and VoLTE for normal calling, but fall back to 3G for emergency E000 calling.
Its likely they are blocking a lot of phones that are compliant in every aspect, but there is some question marks around a lot of Chinese branded phones on not supporting E000 calling.
@bargaineer: Is there a way around it ? My poco x3 was using 4g just fine before, now cant use it for anything … It has ch28
@frewer: My OnePlus 6 stopped working on Boost. Ironically, my Teclast M40 bought from Aliexpress still works. I wish there were clearer guidelines. Feels like a poorly thought out execution.
@ytan86: You dont says, at the end of the day ACMA - big brother give the order telco company has to follow it. And we all know how incompetence the gov can be …
WTF, not even a year old!?!?!
Shit news story that doesn't address the problem and blameshifts overseas imports only.
JB hi-fi in store FFS. Hardly normal.
I've been receiving texts saying my device will be shut down but it's still going. SM-N95OF
They have staggered the process. Mine got shut down today afternoon. How is it going for you now?
still working
And now?
.
AMTA 3G Shutdown 'Checker'
https://amta.org.au/3g-closure-old/check-my-device/
Dial *#06# on your phone to find your IMEI number.
Proactive Action - Xiaomi (& Other Chinese Brands / Import) Phone Owners Affected by 3G Shutdown (Now Due to Be Network Blocked)
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/873158
Lots of discussion and useful information in this thread.
Australian 3g network shutdown, devices affected & providers List
https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyXperia/comments/1gdvvv5/austral…
Following list of Sony phones, published on Monday, 28 OCT 2024.
Doesn't work:
Xperia XZ Premium - Telstra
Xperia XZ1 - Telstra
Xperia 1 ii - Telstra / Optus / abb
Xperia 1 III - Telstra / Optus /abb
Xperia 10 iii – Telstra.
Xperia 5 iii - Telstra
Xperia 1 IV - Telstra / Optus
Xperia 5 IV - Optus /abb
Xperia Pro I - Telstra / Vodafone )
Xperia 1 V - Telstra /Aldi mobile
Works:
Xperia XZ Premium (if it has Telstra or Retail Firmware) - Telstra
Xperia 10 ii Softbank JP (SEA Firmware) - Coles Mobile (Optus)
Xperia 1 V (bought from Hong Kong, not rooted) - Optus
Xperia 5 V - Vodafone
Xperia 1 VI (XQ-EC72 HK) - Telstra
My venerable Sony XZ still works with Amaysim 3G 29/10 :-)
Xperia 5 ii still working on Vodafone. Scared to move away now!
If you want to 'experiment', you can try with someone's Boost Mobile or Optus SIM card, in your Xperia 5 phone and see if you can get a network signal or not.
Yeah I know will have to do that but also, it's Vodafone
Australia's 3G Shutdown - 4G/5G Device Blocking & Capabilities Submission Form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1cWEMH91QvPcboNa3…
Great questionnaire, to vent your feelings about the 3G Shutdown.
I put Amaysim in Moto G5 Plus (2017) and the OG Pixel XL (2016?). No VoLTE but 4G (LTE only setting).
I bought the Pixel XL long time ago second hand very cheap, just for unlimited upload Google Photos for photos and videos. At least I can still use WiFi.
Both have been blocked by Amaysim as I cannot call to these phones anymore.
At the moment I have OnePlus Nord CE3 Lite 5G and Moto G54. No problem for both phones with all 3 networks (Vodafone, Amaysim, Boost Mobile).
are you from tasmiana -
No, I am in Sydney now.
No problem for both phones with all 3 networks (Vodafone, Amaysim, Boost Mobile).
There's no such thing as good Vodafone coverage. It's how you know.
Vodafone coverage in Sydney looks better than Boost Mobile (Telstra). Inside Woolworths Metro Central Park Sydney and certain basements, Boost Mobile signal is not that good, but Vodafone and Amaysim full signal …
When I read about Vodafone coverage and BTS in Whirlpool last time, it looks like Vodafone is getting better.
Based on my experience around Sydney City, Vodafone and Optus network are good. It looks like Optus is better than Vodafone around West Sydney in term of Internet speed and coverage. Boost Mobile signal is not that good in my previous workplace in West Sydney.
No problem when traveling to some regional areas with Vodafone, from my experiences in VIC and NSW.
Moto G5 Plus (2017) and the OG Pixel XL (2016?)
have been blocked by Amaysim as I cannot call to these phones anymore.
That sucks, because both phones were pretty good phones for the time, and they are not the "Chinese" phones either.
I still use my Moto G5 Plus, and not as a phone, but for only for a couple of apps.
Did you receive emails from Amaysim about 3G shutdown, that your phone is not supported? If no, maybe your phone is good with Optus network. Don't know about Telstra though.
Check phone imei through AMTA website related with 3G.
6 pages long here…
… https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/873158
There were some inconsistencies, eg. Boost mobile said my phone was not compatible for all of this year,
until yesterday, they said my phone was compatible again.
I put my amaysim sim card into my Samsung S7 hoping to get the $200 voucher ahaha but it still works!
S7 would work
But grab the $200 anyway
You only get the $200 for devices that don't work haha
yep and you just need to deliberately put the sim and put them in 3G devices that won't work to get the $200
could make a quick buck or use a new phone
Optus kept telling me my phone was an Oppo F5 Student.Every other call plus sms messages
My phone says it is an Oppo F73.
I tried them all including AMTA. So I put the sim in into a broken screen Pixel3,but continued to get Optus messages about my OPPO F5 Student.
On the 28th I called out on the Pixel, no problem
So I put the SIM back into the OPPO F73 and it worked. It seems the operators were/are working off lists, not actual data.
would someone with any expertise know if the operators could have pinged every mobile in the country for the phone's current Make/Model?
How many people have paid $400 each because the providers are grifters..
/
Could it be a class action?
Could it be a class action?
Definitely, there is a great class action lawyer called Dennis Denuto who you should contact, he's always ready to help the battlers.
I believe he has experience in class action, after taking on a certain printer manufacturer.
Zoomers scratching their heads at this.lol
Your experience sounds similar to mine,
ie. the mobile network "remembers" which SIM the phone was last in, and continues to 'blacklist' that SIM based on the hardware IMEI + TAC number associated with that SIM.
I spent about 8 hours last night (8pm - 4am), delving into this mess of the 3G shutdown.
The 2 x Xiaomi 4G/3G phones stopped working yesterday, and a 3rd Xiaomi phone 5G/4G was working but I kept getting mixed/inconsistent results, swapping SIMs between all these phones AND different Samsung phones that I had.
To make things interesting, about 1 or 2 days ago, Boost mobile had sent me an Email, to say that in the past 1 year, they had been warning about the 5G Xiaomi phone being blocked…but they now said it was fine to use.
This 5G phone was about AU$ 600 when it was bought beginning of 2024, and imagine if I went out to buy a new phone, based on the Boost messages I was getting about the 3G network shutting down.
It could be breaches of the Australian Consumer Law and possibly other disputes, so I could imagine a Class Action, … but do Governments pay up when they are wrong??
but do Governments pay up when they are wrong??
Yes, in other previous news not related with this.
Xperia 5 V Telstra and Optus have blacklisted me
Have been reports of Vodafone working fine but I think it is just a matter of time
I have tested my phone and it makes calls perfectly fine over 4g so pretty annoyed I know have a 1yr very expensive brick
Soooooo I was just on Vodafone chat and got this response. I am not sure I can believe it, it was just a chat rep, BUT they asked for my IMEI and said this https://ibb.co/BTX47q1
The shutdown of the remaining two networks didn't occur on monday, it only started then.
Telstra's 3G shutdown will take about a week.
Optus' 3G shutdown is going to take more like a month.
Anyone breathing a sigh of relief that their phone is still working, and reporting it here, may have a different story nextweek/month.
Have a CAT S52 4G "tough phone", with an ALDI sim. Received the messages warning it wouldn't work as per the 3G shutdown affecting the ability to use emergency calling.
Strangely the phone is off-line, but giving the message, "emergency calls only".
Most of the blocked phones can likely still make emergency calls over 4g but the telcos didn't test them so just outright blacklist any that aren't tested. Sure you can now buy a new phone to be 'compatible' with their testing
Does this mean, if those phones that were "blocked", had a firmware update, it could work 'again' ?
I got Xiaomi phones, which are 4G/3G and have the capability to use 4G LTE,
but using some "older" Android ROMs / firmware.
I was about to upgrade the phones last night, as parents don't have a phone,
but today, I just thought, I might as well buy new 5G/4G phones, because it'll be an upgrade,…but kind of an un-needed expense now.
It has nothing to do with how your phone is configured or rom or firmware. The carriers are basing it off your IMEI
@knobbs: Well, I'll have to start shipping or selling these phones overseas then, if the IMEI is no good in Oz anymore.
@whyisave: Yeah they have now almost cornered the market. You will have to buy from a telco or big brick n mortar store basically to guarantee you are allowed on their network.
@knobbs: I'm pretty much doing that tomorrow, ie. try to shop for 2 x phones.
My phone was "barred" and then Email came through a couple of days ago, to say that phone is "allowed" on Boost network.
@whyisave: Yeah that sucks.
My last hope is a friend got an email last week his Xperia 1 VI was tested and approved by Sony/Optus. So luckily I still have my old phone I didn't sell yet and am going to dual phone for ~1 month and pray they test my phone and go "oh yeah this does work, lets unban that model…"
@knobbs: Wait, is your S20 that needs testing, or that's your backup phone to "dual phone for the ~1 month" ?
As far as I know, S20 can also be 5G too.
@whyisave: S20 is my old phone that works fine. My new Xperia 5 V that is ~1yr old they have blocked
My new Xperia 5 V that is ~1yr old they have blocked
If the Xperia 5 V works with Vodafone, then there's hope that Optus will whitelist this phone.
@knobbs: The phone's IMEI might not be blocked but if the phone isnt up to date to support (and enable) VOLTE then it won't work even if it has been whitelisted.
Always worth checking for update to see if it can be enabled so you've done everything from your side and making sure software is up to date.
@CodeXD: My phone is up to date, VoLTE is enabled and tested working calling over 4g before I was blocked. Not my phone issue, it wouldn't matter if it did or didn't work as they are only whitelisting devices they have tested
They will start working again when the carriers (mostly Telstra) stop being arrogant and admit their database of IMEI's is wrong and start removing IMEI ranges from the blocklist.
@joelmuzz: Too late.
I already ordered a couple of phones today, at big cost too.
What I didn't know all these months, was that the ability to call 000 over 3G, was the real reason for blocking the hardware of the SIM cards.
Then again, when I take out the SIM from the 'blocked phone' to put into a different 'unblocked phone', … that SIM is still not working today.
Yeah same, my phone was blocked because it "can't make emergency calls" but then is also available for emergency calls after it was blocked…
Optus and Vodphone still have 3G towers running, so if a 3G phone on any (or even no SIM) can see one of those it will still be able to call 000.
But that will stop when Optus/Vodaphone do shutdown 3G on the tower.
Though the main issue here is legitimate 4G VoLTE capable phones being IMEI banned.
Could be because 3G hasn't been shut down yet, I'm in VIC and 3g still going strong.
3G is being shut down, this week.
The block on the SIM card is sudden, and you'll know it, when it happens.
There's 7-page thread here
— https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/873158
Think they meant that even though you may already be blocked it would still show emergency calls as available for now as 3G hasn't been completely shut-down yet.
Maybe try Vodafone network as the last resort. Otherwise IMEI changing at the very last, but do it at your own risk.
help, why isn't my Nokia 3310 working ?!?!?!
My work phone, a Samsung A22, purchased by the company from a brick and mortar Australian store, and running a Telstra Sim card, was unable to make calls for all of Monday.
That's despite being assured by Telstra that all is well, as I was previously getting warnings when using the 3g checker despite making VOLTE calls and not getting the disclaimer before the call connects.
It's working again now making vlte calls, but running the 3g checker tells me that my phone will not work on 4g.
This is a non-issue. Only people on OzBargain, Whirlpool, Reddit and the like…
Well that's more than half the population
Of course people are going to go to the techy forums for this topic.
And it only started Monday, so odds are you do know people IRL but you just havent talked with them yet, or they just dont bring up phone issues in a social conversation, especially with people they know will just act all snooty about it and tell them to upgrade a 5G capable phone JB hifi is still selling this second.
but you just havent talked with them ye
You simply can't reach them, because of reasons.
Has there been an official list of supported phones released, and is there any way to request a phone be added?
(I know the answer will be "no" to both, but hope dies last)
@djoz
err "Blocked"
Since when does dropping bandwidth transmission equate to blocked?
Since they are literally blocking in response to 000 legislation which says that if a phone cant do 4G VoLTE calls to 00 without a SIM card the telcos have to ban it so that the owner gets a new "safer" phone.
Flaw. They are banning based on database which is wrong, it is telling them that certain IMEI ranges are 3G only phones, even though they are perfectly good compliant 4G VoLTE ch28 supporting phones.
Top it off with not all 000 calls are being answered anyway because of police resourcing.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/triple-zero-calls-going-un…
That's it. As of wednesday morning my OnePlus Nord N10 5G, connected through ALDImobile to the Telstra network, is now a dead parrot.
A perfectly functional good spec phone is now e-waste thanks to not being able to simply go into the software and configure it to use 4G rather than 3G.
Try a Vodafone sim, will most likely be fine.
This sounds like a data harvesting exercise.