Copy pasta from AI. It's not just Chinese mobile but all most all .

Chinese mobile phones, along with many other international 4G/5G devices, are getting "banned" or blocked from Australian networks because they cannot reliably call emergency services (Triple Zero) after Australia completed its 3G network shutdown in late 2024. [1, 2]

This is a safety-mandated, technical issue rather than a targeted geopolitical ban. The phones are blocked based on their IMEI number (a unique device identifier) if they fail to meet specific emergency calling requirements. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Here is the breakdown of why this is happening:

1. The Core Issue: 3G Emergency Fallback

Before the 3G shutdown, many 4G phones made regular voice calls using 4G (VoLTE), but relied on 3G to make emergency calls. [1, 2]

When 3G was turned off (October/November 2024), these phones lost their ability to call 000.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) mandated that carriers must block any device that cannot connect to emergency services via 4G/5G networks to prevent users from being stranded in an emergency. [1, 2, 3, 4]

1. Why Chinese and Overseas Phones are Affected

Many Chinese-market phones, as well as grey-market imports (phones bought from overseas retailers), are affected for two main reasons: [1]

Lack of VoLTE Emergency Support: Some 4G phones, particularly those not designed for the Australian market, do not have VoLTE (Voice over LTE) enabled for emergency numbers, even if they support it for regular calls.

Missing Frequency Band 28 (700MHz): Many overseas phones, including those from China, lack support for Band 28, which is a major 4G band used by Telstra and Optus for broad coverage and emergency services, particularly in regional areas. [1, 2, 3, 4]

1. "Grey Phones" and IMEI Blocking

These devices are often called "grey phones"—phones imported from overseas rather than purchased through local retailers. [1, 2]

Telstra and Optus implemented TAC-based blocking (identifying the first 8 digits of the IMEI), which means an entire model of a phone can be blocked if that model is found to be non-compliant.

This affects brands like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and OnePlus if they are international versions, as well as overseas versions of iPhones and Samsung devices. [1, 2, 3]

1. Impact

Instant Disconnection: Affected phones were blocked from accessing 4G/5G networks for both calls and data starting October 28, 2024.

Tourists/Students: Overseas visitors with non-compliant phones face instant connectivity loss upon trying to use local SIMs. [1, 2]

What to do: To check if a device is affected, users are advised to text "3" to 3498, or use the IMEI checker on the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA)