Background
In early 2026 Telstra, one of Australia’s largest telecommunications providers, announced an investigation into a connectivity issue that prevented several older Apple devices from accessing its network. The problem was severe enough to block calls to 000, Australia’s emergency number.
Affected Updates
The updates in question are:
- iOS 18.7.4
- iOS 16.7.13
- iOS 15.8.6
- iOS 12.5.8
These releases target iPhone models that are several generations old but still receive security patches.
Impact on Emergency Calls
Users of the affected iPhone models reported that dialing 000 either failed to connect or resulted in dropped calls. This raised immediate safety concerns, prompting both Telstra and Apple to act quickly.
Apple’s Response
Apple announced a worldwide pause on the rollout of the four updates for older iPhone models. The company stated that it is working with carriers, including Telstra, to identify the root cause and will resume distribution once the issue is resolved.
What Users Should Do
Owners of affected iPhones are advised to:
- Delay installing the listed iOS updates until Apple releases a fix.
- Verify that emergency calls work by testing a 000 call in a safe environment.
- Keep an eye on official Apple support pages for further guidance.
Future Outlook
Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2.1, which supports newer iPhone models, remains unaffected and continues to be available. The company expects to publish a corrective update for the older devices within the next few weeks, once the network compatibility issue is fully diagnosed.