Does Graphene OS spoof OS version to mobile carriers?

unixman

Just wondering regarding for privacy, does graphene OS spoof OS version from mobile carriers when sim card in inserted? For example them not being able to tell you are running in particular graphene and possibly the version of Android you are running?

de0u

unixman Just wondering regarding for privacy, does graphene OS spoof OS version from mobile carriers when sim card in inserted?

I think the first question is whether mobile devices routinely report OS version over the air. If not then there would be nothing to spoof.

Vomitorius

GOS is based on android

unixman

@de0u I think it does cause I am in Australia and there were recently reports of people not being able to make emergency calls from older samsung devices and mobile carriers are forcing people to upgrade their software or be banned from using the network.

So does graphene OS spoof details of the operating system including version number?

Foggy

unixman Are you sure that isn't to do with the shutdown of 3G and the need for VoLTE support in phones to make calls on 4G?

Not familiar with the situation in Australia, but elsewhere it needs each network to push VoLTE profiles on a per-model basis, and older phones aren't being supported. (GOS has its override toggle to bypass this, of course)

The network can ID the phone model from the IMEI but that doesn't tell it anything about the OS.

GrouchyGrape

unixman all cellular devices give their IMEI to the connected cellular provider for device identification, so the carrier knows what technologies it can use with the phone (as well as track blacklisted devices). This IMEI identifies the phone model, but has nothing to do with the the OS.

If running GOS, there are a few "unique" connections it'll make that identifies it as a GOS phone. But still, this doesn't identify the OS version to the carrier.

de0u

unixman As indicated (Foggy GrouchyGrape), it is believed that the Australian carriers are filtering phone models by IMEI in order to comply with a government directive.

That said, it is possible for a sufficiently motivated party to guess which version of which IMS stack a device is running -- particularly a cellular carrier, but perhaps also a non-cellular ISP, by protocol fingerprinting.

GrapheneOS does not spoof IMEIs, and I believe it runs Google's IMS stack.

In terms of people detecting whether a device runs GrapheneOS, some network connections made in the default configuration do reveal that.

unixman

Hi @de0u @Foggy @GrouchyGrape I am not referring to the IMEI ban for VOLTE as this was last year.

This year I received an email stating that if I don't update my samsung device's operating system it will be banned from the network.

And there was an article regarding this:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-09/triple-zero-outage-senate-hearing-tpg-telecom-second-death-link/106118690

I am worried that if I do update my operating system on my samsung device it will slow down (as some companies have done this in the past). So if choose not to update my samsung device's operating system would they ban my device? Can telcos collect what specific version of operating system I am running, does this get sent to the baseband and simcard which ultimately gets sent back to the telcos?

I originally posted her cause if I do update my device and it slows down, I was thinking of getting pixel phone, but once again they may force me to update, and if I put Graphene OS then I was wondering if the baseband and sim card can collect such information?

Novalissoide

unixman When GrapheneOS auto-updates your Pixel, it won't be slowed down by it.

GrouchyGrape

unixman it will be banned from the network

Maybe, but I don't see anything in the article about "banning" devices. Here's a likely scenario (idk, haven't read anymore than skimming the article): Samsung phones might default to 2G when calling triple zero. The cellular provider/emergency services are moving to 4G only for triple zero. Therefore, if you want to use emergency services, your phone needs to be updated in order to not default to 2G anymore. Maybe they're getting rid of 2G altogether?

Thus, if your phone tries communicating over 2G at all, your IMEI is being marked as incompatible with the inevitable changeover. If they "banned" you from the network, you'd likely go to your cellular provider to complain you no longer have any service, at which point they can tell you to update your phone. Not a bad solution, if that's what's happening. Plenty of older/non-tech folk don't understand the importance of keeping your phone updated.

unixman Can telcos collect what specific version of operating system I am running

No, but I'm unaware of regulations in other countries. Maybe Australia has an agreement with phone OEM's in the region to send that sort of information.

unixman if choose not to update my samsung device

Anyone that cares about security and privacy should keep their phone updated. If you feel you'll get a worse experience by doing so, it is indeed time to get a different phone/OS, one you trust more.

de0u

unixman This year I received an email stating that if I don't update my samsung device's operating system it will be banned from the network.

As indicated by GrouchyGrape it seems very likely that Australian cellular carriers are working from device behavior (whether or not a device places 2G/3G calls) rather than "specific version of operating system". The cited article also includes "Thousands of customers have phones that would never be able to make emergency calls via 4G and needed to be replaced in order to connect to Triple Zero"; presumably this determination is based on IMEI.

Overall, it appears that some hardware, and also some software for some hardware, that previously worked in Australia won't work going forward. Spoofing will not address the operational issues.

For perspective, I believe 2G/3G calling doesn't work anywhere in the U.S., and is on the way out in many countries. Whether it's a good idea or not is independent from whether or not it's possible to evade or work around the transition, which it isn't.

unixman

Novalissoide Yes that is why if my samsung phone does indeed slow down, my next phone will be a Pixel phone and I will install Graphene OS as I know that Graphene won't slow my device down after an update.

unixman

Hi @GrouchyGrape @de0u I received a separate email stating it will be banned if I don't update the operating system its not mentioned in the article. But anyways thanks then I will keep this in mind then.

de0u

unixman I received a separate email stating it will be banned if I don't update the operating system its not mentioned in the article.

It is quite clear to the carrier which phones are placing/receiving 100% legacy calls and 0% VoLTE calls. They naturally suspect that is caused by using old software that supports legacy calls and not VoLTE.

It is also possible that carrier-specific code included on the phone by Samsung or installed aftermarket reports the OS version to the carrier. For whatever it's worth, GrapheneOS omits all of those.

Foggy

For at least older Samsung phones (I haven't paid attention for about 7+ years, so my information is last-decade current), the VoLTE config is embedded in the baseband firmware. That means you have to be running the carrier's own branded firmware to get the VoLTE setup. That might be what they mean by a 'software update' - for those you have to get new baseband firmware to enable VoLTE. If they have seen you are using 2G/3G it may be they are directing you to that firmware process.

For Pixels AIUI the profile is sent OTA so there would be no need to change firmware, although it's possible the OTA profile activates parts of the OS that weren't there in previous versions (ie they tell the phone to activate VoLTE but they can see it hasn't as it's still using 2G). That could be another reason why 'update your OS' is the message they give out.

23Sha-ger

de0u It is also possible that carrier-specific code included on the phone by Samsung or installed aftermarket reports the OS version to the carrier.

All Android IMS implementations are using Google's and GSMA standard. Carriers can't play a role here.
What is funny is that some old Galaxy devices can register to IMS, while newer can't without calling the carrier.
This is because, depends on the carrier, Erricson, ZTE, Nokia, or Huawei are managing the infra.
They have a terrible list of updates. I had to inform my carrier to open VoLTE for a device not in the list.
For an "upcoming" device, like P10.

de0u

de0u It is also possible that carrier-specific code included on the phone by Samsung or installed aftermarket reports the OS version to the carrier.

23Sha-ger All Android IMS implementations are using Google's and GSMA standard. Carriers can't play a role here.

Maybe this isn't common where you are, but in the U.S. it is very common for carriers to add random apps to phones. Here is a somewhat-recent example that caused a bit of a stir: https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-september-updates-vulnerable-verizon-showcase-app-3477844/

23Sha-ger

de0u but in the U.S. it is very common for carriers to add random apps to phones.

Not sure how this is related to the overall thread. They can add as much as they want to, the only
requirement is an OEM unlockable device. So you must be the one in minority, not me.
Here we don't even have a concept of a "locked" device. Free market.

Blastoidea

I have trouble believing tha GrapheneOS “spoofs” anything, therefore I think the question is odd.

Maybe it’s just me.

de0u

23Sha-ger Not sure how this is related to the overall thread.

The original poster asked whether phones report their operating system version to carriers. The original poster did not ask whether all Android IMS implementations are the same. So I think the issue of potential operating system version reporting is quite relevant to the overall thread.

My response about carrier apps was about a plausible way that a carrier could in fact learn which operating system version a device is running.

de0u

23Sha-ger Here is a link to Google's OTA-image download menu for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold: https://developers.google.com/android/ota#comet At present there are entries for Telstra, which I believe is an Australian carrier. I think it's quite plausible that the existence of a Telstra-specific image for some Pixel devices means that devices to which that image is flashed contain some Telstra-specific code! Might that code report details of the device configuration to Telstra? That seems plausible as well, though I have no idea whether it actually happens.

So... maybe this isn't common where you are... but where the original poster is, which seems plausibly related to the thread, a carrier-specific app seems quite within the realm of possibility.