Expert demands telecommunications overhaul after death linked to TPG call failure
The latest triple-0 death linked to phone software could have been avoided if the carrier had forced customers to update devices earlier, an expert has claimed.
An industry expert says the latest death linked to a triple-zero call failure could have been avoided and needs to trigger an overhaul in a sector reeling from multiple fatalities.
Vodafone owner TPG Telecom confirmed on Tuesday a person in Sydney died after a customer was unable to reach emergency services using a Samsung handset with outdated software.
It follows two months after an Optus triple-zero outage was linked with up to three deaths.
Veteran telecommunications specialist Dr Mark Gregory, an associate professor at RMIT University in Melbourne, said “we have to put an end to this”.
He called for legislation to be updated and rigorous performance standards introduced to the Telecommunications Act.
“This case appears to involve one of the old phones identified as having a software problem on the TPG network,” Dr Gregory said.
“It would have required an update or replacement.
“So apparently that did not happen and when the person tried to call triple-0 they couldn’t.”
The software issue was known with Vodafone sending a series of notifications to customers over the past month, warning devices would be blocked if they did not act within 28 to 35 days.
The latest notice was sent November 7.
While circumstances surrounding the death are to be confirmed, it is understood a customer tried unsuccessfully to call triple-zero on behalf of a relative who later died.
TPG said the failure was caused by a Samsung device running software “not compatible with making triple-zero calls on the network”.
Chief executive Inaki Berroeta said: “Customer safety remains our highest priority. This is a tragic incident. We urge all customers with outdated software to replace or update their devices without delay.”
Dr Gregory said the carrier should have forced customers to act earlier.
“In my view, the minute they identified devices needed an update to make them work, there should have been a warning, a couple of days’ grace, then the phone blocked from the network,” he said.
“We see recalls for cars all the time. Around 50 per cent get returned to the dealer for a fix, some will be caught the next time the car is serviced, but many just fall through the cracks.
“In the case of phones there shouldn’t be any falling through the cracks because they can be identified and blocked from the network.
“The regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, should also have stepped in. People would have had to do something very quickly then about updating or replacing their phone.”
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the latest incident was “tragic” and foreshadowed an investigation.
A spokesman for ACMA said the watchdog “is currently gathering information to establish the facts of this tragic incident”.
“We will investigate whether there has been any noncompliance with the triple-0 rules, and if any breaches are identified then appropriate enforcement action will be taken,” he added.
“It would be premature to speculate on the circumstances of this incident until all the facts are known.”
Federal opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh warned late last month about compatibility issues tied to the 3G network shutdown and attacked the government for proceeding without managing all contingencies.
Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email tips@dailytelegraph.com.au
More Coverage
Originally published as Expert demands telecommunications overhaul after death linked to TPG call failure
Social media ban: Govt’s plea to every school principal
