Urgent Call to Action: Telcos Pressured to Resolve Triple-Zero Failures Impacting 10,000 Samsung Users
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Thousands of Samsung mobile phone users risk being out of pocket to replace devices that can’t connect to triple-zero, after the federal government decided not to help.
Testing by Telstra found that more than 70 older model Samsung handsets weren’t connecting correctly to the emergency number.
The telecommunications giant advised that 11 models will need to be completely replaced. The rest need immediate software updates to fix the problem.
Affected customers will be notified by email or text message about what to do next.
Telecommunications companies are facing pressure to address compliance issues concerning older phone models. Subscribers using certain older Samsung phones have been alerted about their legal requirements, emphasizing that these devices must be replaced within 28 days. If not updated, they risk being disconnected from the Telstra network.
Asked if there would be any government funding for people needing replacement phones, federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said responsibility lay with the companies.
“The telcos have contracts with customers and those customers … pay for a service which includes a triple-zero service for their handsets,” she told ABC radio on Friday.
The situation presents a significant challenge for telecom providers, as they navigate the necessary upgrades to ensure reliable service and avoid potential legal implications. As one expert noted, “It’s an issue that the telcos are going to have to address.”
McBain said the government had been told up to 10,000 devices might be affected.
Samsung is yet to confirm if it will help affected customers, or what kind of support might be available.
Telstra is reportedly offering customers “low cost” handsets, but not trade-ins or discounts for new devices.
In related developments, Optus is undergoing leadership changes in the wake of a recent crisis. The company has announced the resignation of two senior executives following an outage affecting the triple-zero emergency service, an incident tragically linked to three fatalities. This shake-up highlights the serious consequences of network failures and the imperative for robust infrastructure and leadership in the telecommunications industry.
McBain also flagged that Optus will be facing fines following the completion of an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Greens communications spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said Optus needed a cultural overhaul and accused it of putting “profits ahead of safety”.
“You wouldn’t want to see this exodus of executives as just rats jumping ship, and this company has a problem with its safety record,” she told ABC radio.
“It has a problem with how it deals with its customers, and it’s time that we review its licence.”
The Greens have been pushing for a Senate inquiry to be held before Christmas.
Hanson-Young is confident the inquiry will get the necessary support when parliament returns next week.
In a statement on Friday, ACMA said it had rejected a proposed telecommunications industry code, deciding it would not provide appropriate community safeguards.
“Australian consumers need to be confident that they will be treated fairly when purchasing services, have protection from irresponsible selling, are provided clear and relevant information on mobile coverage and that they will not be unfairly disconnected,” acting chair Adam Suckling said.
“In our view, the draft code would not deliver the level of protection the community should expect.”
Suckling said it was disappointing the telcos had not been able to develop a proposal that would “deliver what their customers deserve” despite extensive feedback.