TPG customer dies after failed Triple Zero call

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TPG Telecom says one of its customers has died after their Samsung device was unable to connect to Triple Zero emergency services.

TPG says the Sydney-based customer, who was connected with budget TPG brand Lebara, died on November 13 and the incident was reported by NSW Ambulance on November 17.

The telco said preliminary investigations blame the failed emergency call on the customer’s Samsung handset, which was running outdated software incompatible with Triple Zero access on TPG’s network.

The telco said no outages were occurring.

TPG Telecom chief executive Inaki Berroeta.

“We urge all customers with outdated software to update or replace their devices immediately,” TPG chief executive Inaki Berroeta said in a statement.

“Customer safety remains our highest priority. This is a tragic incident, and our convalescences and thoughts are with the individual’s family and loved ones.”

The company says it has alerted relevant government agencies and regulators. Communications watchdog ACMA last month warned that some older Samsung mobile phones released between 2015 and 2017 could not automatically transfer emergency calls to TPG’s Vodafone network during outages.

The sector is already facing intense scrutiny after three people died during an Optus outage in mid-September, in which more than 600 calls to Triple Zero failed.

More to come.