Telcos knew some phones wouldn’t be able to reach Triple Zero on 4G

Australia’s three big telco companies did not initially block mobile phones they knew could not connect with Triple Zero services when the nation switched to 4G networks, arguing it would cut people off from family and friends.

The failure of tens of thousands of mobile phone handsets to reach emergency services after Australia shut down its 3G networks in 2024 is being investigated by regulators and politicians.