Calling Triple Zero: New advice from Aussie telcos

Telstra, Optus, and TPG Telecom have launched a joint information campaign teaching Australians what to do when calling Triple Zero.

The advice follows a string of telco failures including Optus’ September 2025 outage that left hundreds of emergency calls unconnected, and Telstra’s software fault in July that affected nearly 9 million users and dropped 604 Triple Zero calls.

In particular, the campaign has advice on what exactly happens when you’re out of your carrier’s service area.

What the new advice says about calling Triple Zero

When your phone can’t reach your own network, it starts searching for another carrier’s network to route your emergency call through. This is known as emergency camp-on.

This system is what allows emergency calls through when you have no active plan, no prepaid credit, or no SIM card.

While the phone searches for a network, the line may remain silent, which can be disconcerting.

The practical advice is to try calling twice:

First attempt: If the call doesn’t produce a dialtone within about 5 seconds, hang up and redial.
Second attempt: Stay on the line for up to 60 seconds, giving your phone time to find a network.

How to see if you can call Triple Zero in a remote area

Modern phones provide information on the network status. If your own carrier is available, you’ll see the bars as normal.

If you’re outside your own carrier’s area but another network is available, iPhones show “SOS” or “SOS only”. Android phones show “Emergency calls only,” “No service – emergency calls only,” or an SOS icon.

If your phone simply says, “No service,” there may be no coverage where you are, so you should look for another phone or use Wi-Fi calling where available.