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Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

androidauthority.com

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Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#51

Post by chillfox »

oneshtein wrote: post #32
onceler wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty much, but the govt didn't do any blocking directly. They just told the carriers, "Hey, you must not allow people to use devices on your networks that are unable to make emergency calls, or we'll apply serious penalties." The carriers then responded, "I notice that there is no requirement that we allow any device that can make emergency calls. So we will only allow devices we also sell (and maybe a few other mo…

A phone company cannot test every phone in the world to block or whitelist it.

Pretty sure they have more than enough money to do that if it was a requirement.

Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#52

Post by kalleboo »

pbasista wrote: post #45

I do not see a rational reason why a mobile carrier should have any say in which connectivity technology is enabled for use with its mobile network on a particular phone model. It should work based on standards, mobile carrier's capabilities and phone's capabilities. If a phone supports capability X, such as VoLTE, then it should just work with all mobile carriers that support that capability. No conditions. As an im…

It's not even the mobile carrier that has a say, it's just Google. If Google doesn't sell the phone in a country, they just disallow the feature for everyone, instead of just allowing it as long as the carrier supports it. The carrier doesn't mind (if they did, they'd block by IMEI and the workaround wouldn't have worked)

Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#53

Post by tsimionescu »

djmips wrote: post #50
tsimionescu wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This is an extremely clear signal of how they think of the user --- as sheep to be corralled and controlled, not as individuals who have control over the devices they bought. The "security" propaganda they continue to spew has been going on for a while, long enough that increasingly more users are now aware of the truth. While labeling this a security vulnerability is a little weird, it is nevertheless a serious pr…

you're not going to be able to receive National alerts or make emergency calls if your phone can't make calls period...

Yes, which you'll be aware of, and likely buy a working phone. If your phone can do everything else, you'll think it's all good until an actual emergency happens.

Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#55

Post by tsimionescu »

notpushkin wrote: post #46
tsimionescu wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your phone has access to the radio spectrum under certain limited conditions, everywhere in the world. People who want to sell devices that can emit in the radio spectrum must make every reasonable effort to not allow the devices they sell to operate outside the conditions. I would bet that carrier contracts and rules around requirements for VoLTE and VoNR are codified in the exact same way. There is no legal right t…

VoLTE is on another layer than the one radio spectrum laws apply to. VoLTE is basically SIP with a special handshake that uses the SIM card instead of the usual username/password. It does not affect radio in any way.

I am aware, but the cell network itself is considered critical infrastructure as well, and operators are custodians of the radio spectrum. So devices that don't respect operator settings are considered problematic.

Now, do operators abuse this power to enforce commercial interests? Absolutely. This may well be a case of that. But the general principle that devices that operate on the radio spectrum and in cell networks are bound by laws that constrain user's rights, and that manufacturers are responsible for enforcing said constraints in their devices for the good of everyone, is not invalidated by a few greedy policies. Just legislate against the abuses, as the EU for example has often done in this area (leading to free roaming within the EU, legally mandated ability to move to a new network keeping your old number, etc).

Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#56

Post by rfoo »

drnick1 wrote: post #22

I trust this "patch" can be easily reversed in open source versions of Android like Graphene. Just another example of why we need open software on our phones.

Graphene just made VoLTE / NR / VoNR toggle feature built-in to their OS.

Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#57

Post by pbasista »

bluesign wrote: post #49
pbasista wrote: post #45

I do not see a rational reason why a mobile carrier should have any say in which connectivity technology is enabled for use with its mobile network on a particular phone model. It should work based on standards, mobile carrier's capabilities and phone's capabilities. If a phone supports capability X, such as VoLTE, then it should just work with all mobile carriers that support that capability. No conditions. As an im…

I think it depends; speculating but probably volte is a very complicated spec with many optional enhancements ( think ssl with cipher types ) So carrier can choose to whitelist/blacklist phones depending on extensions available

> whitelist/blacklist phones depending on extensions available

That would be, I believe, fine. Those are capabilities-based restrictions.

From my point of view, the issue would be if the same phone worked with the same technology over the same mobile network when connected via a carrier A but the same phone on the same network refused to work with the same technology when connected via a carrier B.

Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#58

Post by userbinator »

pbasista wrote: post #45

I do not see a rational reason why a mobile carrier should have any say in which connectivity technology is enabled for use with its mobile network on a particular phone model. It should work based on standards, mobile carrier's capabilities and phone's capabilities. If a phone supports capability X, such as VoLTE, then it should just work with all mobile carriers that support that capability. No conditions. As an im…

It should work based on standards, mobile carrier's capabilities and phone's capabilities.

That's how it was with GSM.

Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#59

Post by gear54rus »

Namidairo wrote: post #6

> that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere It did a great deal more than that. It also allowed the toggling of VoNR, which apparently affected the fallback behavior of some people's services. (Ie. It would fall back to LTE and not roam back to 5G data unless nudged manually) However for me, it would enable backup calls over a secondary sim card's data, which would allow text and calls overseas without the usual ext…

> VoNR

off topic but who the hell names these, a pre-schooler?

"New radio", from the makers of "New folder (1)"

Re: Google blocks Android hack that let Pixel users enable VoLTE anywhere

#60

Post by mosura »

pbasista wrote: post #45

I do not see a rational reason why a mobile carrier should have any say in which connectivity technology is enabled for use with its mobile network on a particular phone model. It should work based on standards, mobile carrier's capabilities and phone's capabilities. If a phone supports capability X, such as VoLTE, then it should just work with all mobile carriers that support that capability. No conditions. As an im…

> would impose different speed limits on different cars, depending on whether they are affiliated with the road management company or not.

With the state as road management company and public transit as state affiliated then the answer is this exists already.

Your core premise is that if someone can do something for you then they should, but you get to capture all the value from that.

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