Reports of a second potential death have surfaced. It is attached to a customer who was unable to call Triple Zero, Australia’s emergency service, because of a malfunctioning Samsung mobile phone. This incident is unrelated to a previous outage that hit Australia’s second-largest telecom, Optus. The underlying cause of this issue can be found in the implementation of Australia’s migration from 3G to 4G networks in early 2023. Many older-model phones use 3G for emergency calls when unable to reach a 4G connection. Unfortunately, the recent shutdown of the 3G network has rendered many of these devices incapable of placing these vital calls.
Samsung and the Triple Zero Custodian have already received significant backlash. The government department and minister are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the new emergency service is a success. We unpack why the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has received so much exposure. Critics fear that its decision to allow the telecommunications industry to self-regulate has resulted in deadly gaps in public safety.
The Transition from 3G to 4G
The move from 3G to 4G networks has brought attention to a detrimental gap in our reliance on mobile phones when it comes to connecting with emergency services. Many older mobile devices, including certain Samsung models, automatically revert to the 3G network when the 4G signal is unavailable. With the 3G network now shut down, these devices can no longer reach emergency services.
This incompatibility has raised a lot of alarm. Vulnerable patients and their caregivers rely on timely access to emergency services, and even a few minutes’ delay can be fatal. All the while, fear of not achieving Triple Zero has increasingly grown. This anxiety has only been exacerbated by the 3G shutdown and the recent Optus network outage.
“The 000 failures have highlighted the devastating consequences to Australians when there is a failure to properly regulate a service that is essential to our lives,” – Carol Bennett, Senate inquiry into Triple Zero failures.
In response to these incidents, there have been calls for a public list of mobile devices certified as compliant with regulated technical standards. A comprehensive list would help consumers, industry advocates and regulators understand which devices will work with consumers’ critical emergency services.
Criticism of Regulatory Bodies
The Senate Committee’s hearing on the failures of Triple Zero has exposed a shameful void of accountability. Mobile phone manufacturers and federal regulators have egregiously failed to meet their duties. Critics aren’t happy with ACMA’s hands-off approach. Ms. Bennett and others find that this position allows private companies to put the interests of their shareholders above the safety of the traveling public.
“We’ve seen a lot of blame shifting, and obfuscation. And I think there has been way too much passing the buck and not enough taking responsibility … it’s a culture of impunity.” – Ms. Bennett.
In pushing for this defeat, Senator Ross Cadell focussed on the need for adequate regulation in the telecommunications industry. He pointed out that with good oversight, these emergencies should be uncommon and controllable.
“If this industry is regulated in the way it should be, then [these sorts of things] are not a common occurrence, and they should not and we should be able to be reassured it shouldn’t happen again.” – Senator Ross Cadell.
Specifically, the Senate inquiry has highlighted that manufacturers have not been held accountable for their failures to update their devices in a timely or at all. Eric Chou, Vice President of Samsung, admitted that at the end of the day, most products reach the consumer’s hands by way of retailers and telecommunications operator.
Moving Forward: A Call for Action
That investigation is moving far too slowly, and the calls for arrest and action are only intensifying. This is something that both manufacturers and regulatory authorities alike should focus on immediately. Speaking at the same event, Carol Bennett emphasized the burden that has recently fallen to stakeholders to avoid any more tragedies.
“We now have both an opportunity and a responsibility to fix this to ensure that no more lives are lost.” – Carol Bennett.
As outlined by Senator Sarah Henderson, it is critical the Triple Zero Custodian be required to provide transparency and public reporting on these failures. She emphasized that clear, consistent messaging around deaths related to service outages needs to be addressed first.
“You would think that her very own department and the regulator would inform her of a death due to a Triple Zero outage.” – Senator Sarah Henderson.
More than ever, lawmakers and community advocates are feeling the urgency to end this injustice. Many believe that a comprehensive regulatory framework is vital for ensuring that telecommunication services prioritize public safety above all else.
