Sydney emergency call connection failure linked to outdated Samsung phone software

Outdated Saumsung software is said to be why an emergency call on the Australia Triple Zero service failed to connect over the TPG Telecom network, resulting in a fatality

TPG Telecom is one of Australia’s largest full-service operators runs the Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, AAPT, Internode and Lebara brands across a national mobile and fixed network.

The company said the Sydney customer was using a Lebara service on a Samsung handset on 13 November and attempted to contact the Triple Zero emergency number.  However, the calls failed despite the TPG network operating normally at the time. TPG said it was notified of the tragedy by New South Wales Ambulance.

Investigations claim the failure was caused by the user’s Samsung device running outdated software. This was not compatible with making Triple Zero emergency calls on the TPG Telecom network. The company said Samsung had recently identified that certain older Galaxy devices required a software update when connecting to emergency services, particularly when switching between networks.

Samsung has acknowledged the issue, saying it has “identified a number of older mobile devices that will not correctly connect to an alternative mobile network to make Triple Zero calls when the user’s primary network is not available.”

Samsung said it is “working with network partners to ensure all devices operate reliably in every emergency situation”. Sasung urged customers to “keep their mobile devices updated with the latest software.

TPG said it has contacted customers to urge urgent updates. Under new regulations, devices not updated after notification are blocked from the network after 28 to 35 days. The most recent alerts to users with outdated devices were sent just six days before the fatal incident.

“These updates are critical to ensure compatibility with emergency services and to protect customer safety,” the operator said.

TPG Telecom CEO Iñaki Berroeta described the incident as “tragic” and reinforced the company’s message. “We urge all customers with outdated software to replace or update their devices without delay to ensure they can reach Triple Zero in an emergency.”