After a week of drama in the Senate Committee looking into issues with the Triple Zero network and the issues surrounding the 71 Samsung phone models deemed not to be compatible with the Triple Zero network, the Optus outage of September has now led to elaborate lab testing and one Apple iPhone model is now in the eye of the storm.
Apple has today pushed out an urgent update to iOS 26 which patches an issue with the iPhone 12 and only the iPhone 12 to make it fully compatible with the Emergency Call system. The “About” section for this new release – iOS 26.2 says this update “Addresses a mobile network issue for iPhone 12 models when establishing a connection to emergency services in Australia.”
While it’s now well known that Samsung’s issue was that their phones were essentially coded to use the 3G network due to the TPG/Vodafone network not allowing calls on the 4G network until the middle of 2021, at which time a software update was rolled out to ensure phones could use VoLTE and access emergency services on the 4G network in preparation for the 3G switch-off which happened in 2024.
1.6 million Samsung phones were successfully updated to the latest software, but as we reported this week, 98,000 remain connected to our Telco networks still requiring that update.
For Apple though, the issue is less clear.
Apple’s support page for iOS 26.2, which is now available to download, are not specific at all about the issue itself, other than to outline the broader concern, stating that “Staying connected to emergency services is essential, especially in a country as expansive and geographically diverse as Australia. iPhone is designed with multiple layers of connectivity to help users reach emergency services, even when traditional cellular coverage may be limited. In addition to standard mobile networks, iPhone supports Wi-Fi Calling and satellite services. “
The company is clear in their direction – “to help ensure access when you need it the most. We encourage all iPhone users to keep their software up to date to take advantage of the latest connectivity features. “
Interestingly, there is a link to learning more about WiFi calling in the release notes, which makes me speculate that this may be a bug related to how the iPhone 12 handles Triple Zero calls over WiFi calling – but that is pure conjecture on my part.
The iOS 26.2 support page goes on to say “Australian mobile network operators continue to improve support for emergency calling on their networks. This follows prior incidents, including a technical failure that prevented some older mobile phones from being able to make emergency calls (Triple Zero). This impacted some Australians in regional areas who attempted to make an emergency call when their primary mobile network was unavailable, even though an alternate network was available and should have connected the call. Mobile operators are taking steps to mitigate future issues.“
As we know, the Telcos are conducting urgent lab testing of handsets on their networks, and EFTM understands it’s within this lab environment where a unique situation was tested, resulting in a failure of the Triple Zero emergency calling facility.
Apple makes it clear, this is not a standard situation or scenario, saying “In the rare event that these exceptional circumstances affecting mobile operators’ networks were to happen again, some older mobile phones may still encounter the same issue reaching emergency services through an alternate available network.“
Strangely, this issue, and the subsequent fix, does not apply to devices of a certain age. In fact, the iPhone 12 is the only phone affected, but several generations prior, including the iPhone XS, XR, and 11, are explicitly noted as not affected. iOS 26.2 release notes state that “iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, and all iPhone models from iPhone 13 and newer are not affected. For iPhone 12 users, iOS 26.2 provides support for this scenario. If it is determined that any earlier iPhone models are impacted, customers will receive additional information and guidance directly from their mobile operator.“
To be entirely clear, there is no issue with an iPhone 12 calling Triple Zero on your normal mobile network. It’s also clear that a simple “camp on” to another network will also be fine, but given the reference to exceptional circumstances “happening again,” we can only assume that if the same network failure that happened to Optus in September were to happen again, there’s a risk that users of the iPhone 12 may have issues calling Triple Zero.
We do not know how many iPhone 12 devices are still in use in Australia, but as a five-year-old phone, I’d say it’s a lot.
A Telstra Spokesperson told EFTM “Telstra customers with an iPhone 12 with a Telstra SIM are not impacted. However, we encourage all our customers to keep their devices up to date with the latest software.”
While at Optus we’re told “In some very rare scenarios, Apple iPhone 12 devices may not be able to connect to another network to call Triple Zero if their primary network is not available.
Apple has released a software update to address this issue.
We encourage all customers to keep their devices up to date with the latest software.
When we become aware of devices that are unable to correctly use the emergency services calling, we proceed with notifying customers and block devices in accordance with the Emergency Calling Services determination.
This approach reflects our commitment to working closely with device manufacturers, regulators, and the wider industry to maintain the highest standards of safety and reliability for all Australians.”
TPG Vodafone say “A recent UTS lab test identified a rare scenario in which some iPhone 12 devices may not be able to connect to an alternate network to call 000 when their primary network is unavailable.
Apple has released a software update to address and fix this scenario.
This is a timely reminder that safety and security updates from device manufacturers should be installed promptly. Keeping your device software current helps ensure the best possible security and access to emergency services.
We continue to work closely with industry, device manufacturers and regulators to ensure Australians can rely on 000 when it matters most.
If you or someone you know is using an iPhone 12, in the interests of safety, it’s critical you update that phone to the latest iOS.
Do that by opening Settings, then tap General, followed by Software Update. This will show available updates and allow you to download and install.
For simplicity going forward, you should set up and turn on automatic updates.
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts several popular podcasts, EFTM, Two Blokes Talking Tech, Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars, The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, and the Private Feed. He is the resident tech expert for Triple M on radio across Australia, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show and appears regularly on 9 News, A Current Affair and Sky News Early Edition.
Father of three, he is often found in his Man Cave.
