CRITICAL UPDATE: Older iPhone Models Facing Triple Zero Connectivity Issues

In Short:

Critical Safety Risk: A technical glitch is preventing several older iPhone models from switching to alternate networks during emergencies, meaning 000 calls may fail in "patchy" reception areas.

Affected Regions: Handsets in the Far West and Riverina (including Hay, Balranald, and Carrathool) are specifically vulnerable due to the reliance on regional roaming.

Immediate Action Needed: Users must install iOS 26.2.1 (or the specific legacy patch like iOS 12.5.8 for older models) immediately via Settings to restore emergency call reliability.

iPhone users are being urged to immediately update their mobile devices following reports of a technical failure that prevents some iPhones from connecting to Triple Zero (000).

The alert comes after 7news reported a significant software glitch where handsets failed to switch to alternative mobile networks during emergencies.

This failure is particularly concerning for those living in the Far West and Riverina, where residents often rely on roaming capabilities between different carrier towers when travelling through areas with patchy reception.

The issue gained national attention following a December incident where iPhone 12 models were unable to reach emergency services.

Apple has since confirmed that the problem has specifically impacted Australians in regional areas, where a call should have automatically connected via any available network but failed to do so.

In a statement regarding the failure, Apple stated that the issue affected some Australians, particularly in regional areas, where emergency calls failed even though an alternate mobile network was available and should have connected the call.

For our local communities, where distances between townships are vast and mobile coverage can be inconsistent, the ability to rely on emergency roaming is a necessity rather than a luxury.

Is your device affected?

Apple is urging users to install the iOS 26.2.1 update (or the latest available version) to ensure the patch is applied. The vulnerability affects a wide range of older hardware still commonly used across the back country.

The following iPhone models require the update:

iPhone SE (1st and 2nd generation)

iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, and 6S Plus

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus

iPhone X, XS, XS Max, and XR

iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max

iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max

Apple Watch users with cellular calling capability should also update the following models:

Apple Watch SE 2

Series 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10

Ultra and Ultra 2

To update your device, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update.

Given the critical nature of emergency service access in remote Back Country areas, families are also encouraged to check the devices of older family members or neighbours who may not be aware of the technical fault.

Further installation support and instructions can be found at the official Apple Support page.