ABC News Daily Why are some Triple Zero calls still failing?
Nov 24, 2025
Michael Atkin, an ABC consumer affairs reporter known for his investigative work on telecommunications, sheds light on the ongoing failures of Triple Zero calls post-Optus outage. He reveals that over 480 calls failed due to a system upgrade mishap, and discusses tragic incidents linked to phone compatibility issues. Michael shares real stories of individuals unable to reach emergency services, highlights the need for urgent reforms, and advocates for innovative solutions like text-to-000 to ensure safety for all.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Systemic Fragility In Emergency Calls
- The Optus outage left 480 Triple Zero calls failing across four states during a 13-hour window.
- That failure exposed systemic fragility in emergency-call routing and detection systems.
Death Linked To Incompatible Samsung Software
- A TPG customer died after repeated emergency-call failures tied to a Samsung device running incompatible software.
- The telco says the device needed an urgent update and the user may not have applied it in time.
3G Switch Caused Phone Compatibility Gaps
- The issue stems from how older Samsung phones search for emergency network connections after 3G shutdowns.
- Some models can be fixed with updates but 11 older Galaxy phones must be replaced to restore emergency calling.