Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications provider, has been penalised following a serious lapse in its emergency call service for individuals with hearing and speech impairments.
An investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that the company inadvertently disconnected from the 106 emergency call relay service for nearly 13 hours during a planned software upgrade in July 2024.
The outage, which occurred between July 5 and 6, rendered the 106 number—used by Australians relying on teletypewriter (TTY) and type-and-listen services—inaccessible for 12 hours and 46 minutes.
Number a vital link for people who cannot use standard voice calls to reach emergency services such as police, fire, or ambulance.
The 106 service functions via a relay officer, who reads aloud messages typed on a TTY device to emergency operators ensuring equal access to critical support during life-threatening situations for members of the deaf, hard of hearing, and speech-impaired communities.
In response to the outage, Telstra has paid an undisclosed financial penalty and committed to conducting an independent review of its systems and procedures. The telco acknowledged the error occurred during a server migration process.
ACMA member and consumer lead Samantha Yorke says the mistake could have contributed to very serious harm if someone who relies on this service had needed emergency assistance but was unable to get through.
“Fortunately, the records show no one attempted to use the 106 service for an emergency during the time the service was disabled.” she said.
Under national emergency call service regulations, telcos are required to ensure the reliable operation of their networks and infrastructure used for handling emergency calls.
However, concerns have been raised by industry analysts over the ongoing inability of major providers to uphold these critical obligations.
In December 2024, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) fined Telstra $3 million after an investigation uncovered 473 breaches of emergency call regulations.
The breaches were linked to a 90-minute disruption at Telstra’s triple-zero call centre, during which emergency call services were compromised.
Telstra has provided the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) with a court-enforceable undertaking to strengthen its change management processes.
In addition, the company has appointed an independent reviewer to assess its operational systems supporting the reliable delivery of the 106 emergency call service, which is specifically designed for people with hearing or speech impairments.
The fine comes as Telstra pushes back against recent claims made by rival Vodafone, which recently accused the company of misrepresenting the size of its mobile network.
