Hi Petition Signers,
The worst case scenario is now upon us!
On Thursday afternoon (24/10) the ACMA finalised the changes to the Minister's Emergency Calling Rules.
The Government & Regulators are forcing the Telcos to Block 258,000 4G/5G Phones from 1 November!
With 297,000 phones affected in total including 3G Devices!
This INCLUDES devices that presently work perfectly for calling and emergency calling over 4G!
Emergency Call Service Amendment Determination 2024
https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2024L01353/asmade/text
If your device isn't presently recognised as 'compatible' by your telco THEY WILL BE BLOCKING THAT DEVICE from ALL SERVICES INCLUDING DATA & SMS!
The ACMA says the industry will be determining the capability of devices based solely on the device Model Number (IMEI/TAC).
Not the current software and functionality of the device!
So if the telco believes your device is 'incompatible' it will be blocked, regardless if it currently works or not!
The 3G Network is due to close from Monday 28 October!
I would ask you to URGENTLY phone the office of your Local MP & Senators to voice your strong opposition to this Government requirement and the shutdown!
Find your Electorate & Member:
https://electorate.aec.gov.au
https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/
You must also contact the Office of the Communications Minister, details are below.
https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=159771
https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/contact
Australians will now be forced to only use phones sold by the telcos and major handset brands.
The Telcos will now be able to dictate the entire phone market!
You can now no longer use any device you want from any provider in the world, even if it may work perfectly!
The blocking of these phones is expected to cost consumers in excess of $80 Million Dollars! Most of the cost will be borne by Customers, not the telcos!
All of this during a Cost of Living Crisis! Not to mention High Inflation!
The ACMA documents also state that on 1 October the number of affected phones was 516,875!
That doesn't include all the infrastructure and IoT products that still rely on 3G either!
Telstra had requested to only block Call Service and leave Data & SMS, but due to the instructions from the Minister they will be required to block all services!
Even devices used by roamers & tourists can be impacted and blocked!
To make matters worse, this device blocking will not actually solve anything!
By relying on device models alone, people could still connect to the network with a phone that doesn't work properly for 000.
The telcos have no real idea what phones work for VoLTE Emergency Calling, especially for devices they didn't sell.
It's abundantly clear the Minister & Government Does NOT Care about the concerns of Consumers and has never cared! Otherwise the Minister would have intervened and delayed the shutdown last year.
They are perfectly happy for the Telcos to now have a complete control over what devices you are allowed to use.
I raised this issue in June of last year and it took 4 Months to get a response, and the response I received ignored all of the consumer issues I raised!
There is also no requirement under the rules that force the providers to supply a replacement device that is 'like-for-like' or equivalent.
They simply have to offer a 'low or no cost' option.
For over a year the Telcos have been telling people to purchase a 4G or 5G device that supports VoLTE calling and Band 28 (700Mhz).
Consumers have done just that! But now hundreds of thousands of those devices will be totally blocked!?! And with no mechanism to dispute that!
Where is the accountability? Where is the oversight?
Why are we putting Commercial Interests of major Telcos above the public interest?
Why it is the fault of Consumers that the industry & Government have totally failed to manage this correctly?
Most of the world isn't looking at switching off 2G/3G until 2026-2028. The UK still has a 2G Network and will have until about 2030!
Swedish providers recently announced a 2 year delay to the Shutdown of 2G until 2027!
France isn't expected to switch-off 3G until 2028/2029!
It's only a matter of time before the catastrophic mismanagement of this issue results in the loss of life, and it might not take very long for that to happen.
Without a 3G Network many tourists will be unable to make calls and Emergency Calls, even with new 4G and 5G devices!
All of this has been entirely avoidable! The concerns raised by the public have been utterly disregarded.
The ACMA still thinks it's not possible to test devices for Emergency Calling Support prior to shutdown. This is utterly wrong and shows a complete lack of understanding about the technical aspects of the issue!
Testing can currently be done but it requires making a real emergency call.
We need a free, publicly accessible system that allows anyone to test their device for Emergency Calling on 4G. This is possible to do!
How to Test for 4G Emergency Calling Support on Android
https://medium.com/@jamesdwho/the-little-known-problems-with-volte-emergency-calling-3d4cdaf0e042
If your device presently works for VoLTE Calling you should screenshot and screen record it placing Calls on 4G, so you can prove that yes, your device does (or did) work and the telcos are wrong! (Also include your IMEI and IMS Status Information, and information to show it can connect to LTE Band 28)
How to Check for Working 4G VoLTE Calling on Android Handsets
https://medium.com/@jamesdwho/how-to-check-for-working-volte-calling-on-android-8c343362ecfe
Once they start blocking devices you won't be able to prove your device works!
Please share this far and wide with Family, Friends and on Social Media!
Including posting on forums and to YouTube & other Media outlets etc.
This policy needs to be met with a strong response from the consumers! (Including YOU!!)
We deserve better than this.
James
It's been very hard to raise the awareness of this issue over the past 16 months and I wish I could have done more.