889
I want a phone I can actually fix, and Fairphone’s record growth shows the world does too
(www.androidcentral.com)
this post was submitted on 10 Feb 2026
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Wow. Two FP posts in a night. Paste of my comment.
Faiphone is being frog marched out of Australia. Each telco is shutting it down and blocking IMEIs. Sucks for the people that imported them.
Cant even use it as data only. So unless you use it as puerly on WiFi it's going to landfill. 😔.
I have a fairphone 6 in Australia with no issues.
Can you elaborate?
Thread goes back to the Telstra cutoff. Optus to do the same soon. Looks like TPG might be the last stand.
https://forum.fairphone.com/t/3g-network-closure-australia/109696/160
I'll be interested to know what happens with FP6. Of your notbwoth TPG or a reseller of there's you should have got a message by now.
I can only assume that message is because the FP 5 is not compatible with VoIP (not strictly related to the 3G cutoff). If so, that means it is actually unable to call emergency services, and is therefore unable to be used safely in Australia.
The emergency services in Australia have recently switched to VoIP only, and want to eliminate the risk of someone using a non VoIP capable phone as their only phone. This appears to be a general safety issue, not specifically targeted at Fairphone.
The FP 6 does support VoIP, so it should have no issues.
Any links to this story please? Couldn't find any
Search Telstra 3G shutdown. They were the first to block all in 2024 (and can confirm still blocked) Optus is now blocking on the 10th March. There's one telco left in AU. Everyone else sells one of these three.
Much discussion in this FP5 thread. https://forum.fairphone.com/t/3g-network-closure-australia
Despite what people say the phone works and has all requirements for the network, VoLTE calling and emergency calling. The telcos tho don't want to take a risk with "unknown" modems. So they disable network.
Canadian telcos did this 15 years ago, but I haven't heard of behaviour like this in a long time. You need to write a complaint to your government.
People have. Some samsungs were blocked in the first perge. There was minimal outcry. The normies just got new phones.
... Also someone did die coz they went able to call emergency services. Something to do with the phone not updated and had not been blocked properly (otherwise they would have known they couldn't call emergency). So it seems that's kicked off a new wave of checks.
That's what sparked it here too, a 911 issue with early android phones. They were going to ban several models outright since they couldn't confirm you did the update if you BYOD or were on custom roms, but eventually settled on a waiver that you could sign absolving them of any liability if you kept your phone.
I can see the perspective of the telcos but outright bans is just not the answer, especially since they make money from the sale of new phones. It re-enforces their monopoly and keeps everyone reliant on them for phones (which they love). The only way to fix this is through the government.
Looks like FP3 is lacking and Telstra are just assholes about FP5
Basically. But Optus is joining the party too.
cam them, and ask them to add the imei to allow list ?
International sale might work
Any chance the Aus govt might step in?
You mean an international sim? I don't think so. The FP website tells users to check the phone is supported in the clintry they travel to.
And no. Aus gov did nothing BEOFRE this happend. We FP5 users found somewhere that supported us and hit it out. But seems were found.
TBH wifi only is what I'd like to have. I just want a device I can hold in my pocket without worrying about cell service, but still call a rideshare because I don't drive and those stupid services don't do a request-by-phone. I'd ditch it entirely if I could.