If it can't call 911 you're not allowed to sell it as a phone. Phone calls use VoLTE which is newish technology. Therefore it's illegal to sell older technology as a phone.
> https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Guides/Check-if-p... "But it's not just 3G phones that won't work on Australian mobile networks; certain 4G phones won't work either if they don't support Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) Emergency Calling."
Even fake toy phones for kids need stickers that say there's no emergency service.