[If people think this thread is not enough Linux-specific, maybe we can move it to luv-talk. For now, I'm going with the flow, because I think it's an issue of importance to Linux (and FOSS) users generally.]
Hi Russell (and rest of list), On Thu, Oct 3, 2024, at 13:26, Russell Coker via luv-main wrote: > On Thursday, 3 October 2024 09:09:20 AEST Duncan Roe via luv-main wrote: >> ** You can text 3 to 3498 on either Telstra or Optus networks for a text >> response as to whether you'll be OK > > The text response will tell you if it records VoLTE as working a couple of > weeks ago (change phones and it will take weeks to notice). That doesn't > reflect whether emergency calls can work as desired, ideally 000 will work > even if the phone is locked or has no SIM. Yeah. Does anybody know how the telcos make this determination? Clearly, they're not assessing live the actual technical capabilities of the phone, as shown by my experience "your device is not a mobile phone". Presumably, they're looking up in some (incomplete) database of phone models. But how do they make the link between the phone in my hand sending that SMS and the phone model? Is it via the IMEI, and there's some global database relating IMEIs to manufacturers' models? Or is somehow in the handshake between the phone and the network when it first connects? This whole thing has not been thought through well at all. Just some things that come to mind: - What if SIMs are swapped among various phones? Is service on that SIM cancelled if it's temporarily in an "unsupported" phone? - What if an Australian SIM is internationally roaming? It seems nutty to cancel that service because it can't call Australian 000. (Emergency calling when roaming seems to be a very messy thing.) - What about a phone used only, or primarily, for data? Sure, there are data-only SIMs (in passing: how are they affected by this regulation?). But often the cheapest way to get data is just to sign up for a data-competitive phone plan and just ignore that it can also provide phonecalls. Admittedly, these issues probably affect only a minority of phone users, but an important minority, especially for innovation. > The changes being discussed include potentially locking from the network all > phones that are deemed unable to properly work with 000. I'd be happy with a > phone that doesn't have VoLTE if the provider had a SIP or email option for > getting voicemail and sent SMS notifications of "missed" calls. Well, yes. And that's really alarming. All the more reason for taking what action we can, like signing that Change.org petition, making an ACMA submission (deadline this coming Tuesday), and writing to our Federal MPs and Senators. At the risk of being annoying, links repeated here. I feel that this is important, especially for FOSS people like us. - https://www.change.org/p/stop-telco-4g-5g-device-blocking-volte-restrictions-australia-s-3g-shutdown - https://www.acma.gov.au/consultations/2024-09/proposal-amend-ecs-determination (Submission deadline 8th October 2024.) - https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contacting_Senators_and_Members + I also found on a (Duckduckgo) search https://commonslibrary.org/how-to-contact-australian-members-of-parliament/ They seem here to collect various useful links into the Australian Parliament website. > It seems like carriers want a monopoly on selling phones in Australia which > regulation might grant them. The only mitigating factor is that they might > lose the extremely profitable roaming market. Not only the carriers, but the entrenched big-name mobile phone brands, who are pretty cosy with the telcos. They also want to suppress competition. And I'd say it's a calculated stealth monopoly by creating anxiety that if people don't buy a telco-peddled phone they'll be "unsupported". Pushing people out of fear to buy really unneeded new phones is also bad for the environment from an electronic-waste point of view. As with so many things, what we need are solid, impartial, strong technical standards. Unfortunately, governments tend to be captured by rent-seeking corporations. My reading of the ACMA Determination is that for a foreign traveller it's not about roaming per se (when the customer relation is with the foreign provider), but about when the traveller purchases a local SIM. It seems the traveller could use it only for 60 days on an "unsupported" phone. And the Determination itself says in part about the exception: .... the mobile phone is being used by a foreign traveller in Australia who intends to remain in Australia for a period of time which is less than a specified period of time.... Since it's based on intent, it seems a rather squishy concept. I doubt that would have much effect on the telco's business. But maybe your reading is different. — Smiles (to you, but not to the Government), Les. _______________________________________________ luv-main mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
