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Your replacement device may not have the same firmware from the same country hence why it's upto date - The only thing you could do is possibly update this yourself manually using a .ftf firmware file and a program called Flashtool or visit a service centre and ask them to do it or change the firmware to the correct country that you are in or were in etc
Thanks Thommo. I am thinking you are correct, it is a problem with the firmware/country.
The other strange thing is when I enter the IMEI # at the Sony site it comes up as invalid. 
I am in Australia but I found out my local supplier sourced my original phone from Singapore so it takes 3 to 4 weeks every time I need it repaired so this would be my fourth service inquiry which I'd rather avoid.
If I try doing it myself with Flashtool would it achieve the same result as I had when the factory update was automatically performed on my old phone?
Can you suggest the best place to get the correct ftf file & some good instructions?
The more I use my replacement phone I am finding there are a lot of features I am missing from Lollipop. 
Thanks Thommo, I will try the method on Xperiablog. Looks a bit daunting but I assume if I step through it carefully it will be ok.
Is the end result of this manual fix same as if I was able to do the OEM factory upgrade?
Hi Thommo,
Just flashed my Z3C and the procedure at Xperiablog create you own and flash went perfectly and not too difficult once you step through carefully.
It is really great to see all that VIVO crap disappear and see the nice features of Lollipop back again. 
My Restore finally worked perfectly as well.
I would have to say it looks like an OEM install which I assume it is.
Cheers
Don
It is stock firmware - all you are doing or did was download the update files direct from Sony and then package those files into a file compatible with flashing manually and I'm glad you got it sorted