Feds and telcos tell customers 000 camp-on delays can last up to a minute

The federal government and mobile operators will this week tell Australians hold on the line for up to a minute if their mobile phone can’t instantly switch networks to successfully place an emergency call.

Optus, Telstra and TPG Telecom will deliver the advice in a public information campaign about triple zero calling with active cooperation and endorsement from the government’s Triple Zero Custodian.

This addresses a key finding of Dr Kerry Schott’s review into Optus’ September 2025 triple zero outage.

Industry lobby the Australian Telecommunications Alliance (ATA) said that campaign would provide advice to “help ensure Australians can reliably connect to triple zero (000) when needed.”

To be delivered through multiple online channels and the telcos’ customer service staff, the campaign seeks to fill gaps in Australians’ understanding of emergency calls, particularly in cases when they don’t connect immediately.

In particular, it will seek to convey to the public the concept of mobile phone “camp-on”.

In simple terms it refers to the how mobile handsets are meant to automatically switch from networks that aren’t available to ones that are during emergencies.

The concept started to enter the public mindset during the 3G shutdown and switch over to 4G, which exposed emergency calling problems with certain handsets.

However, interest in camp-on surged after the September 2025 Optus outage.

The public will be told that the camp-on process can take time and that they should expect silence for up to 60 seconds while it takes effect.

“The ‘emergency camp-on’ process can take time to connect to another network. Generally, there will be silence on the line while this happens,” according to an ATA statement on the campaign launch.

“If your initial call doesn’t connect within around five seconds, hang up and try again immediately.

“On subsequent attempts, stay on the line for up to 60 seconds to give your phone the best chance to connect via another network.”

Consumers will also be advised as to what system messages to look for on their handsets if camp-on cannot be made to work.

“All phones are different; if ‘emergency camp-on’ is available, iPhone will show ‘SOS’ or ‘SOS only’ depending on iOS version. Android will show ‘Emergency calls only, ‘No service – emergency calls only’, or a small SOS icon.

“If your phone shows ‘no service’, there is no mobile network coverage available where you are and you will not be able to call 000 using a mobile network,” according to the ATA statement.

In the latter case, the campaign will advise customers to connect via landline or try to call over an available wi-fi network using wi-fi calling.

ATA chief executive Luke Coleman said that the idea is to give Australian mobile phone users “simple advice” on what to do should they need to contact triple zero when their usual mobile providers’ network is down.

An ATA spokesperson said that the current information campaign was aimed at customers that rely on “standard mobile networks”.

This is in contrast to customers in regional and remote areas that may rely on a mix of connection technologies to reach triple zero services, such as those on base stations using satellite backhaul or relying on wi-fi calling over broadband delivered over Starlink, and NBN satellites and fixed wireless.

“ATA and the mobile network operators will continue to consult with the Triple Zero Custodian on any potential future communications to Australians,” ATA’s spokesperson said.

Temporary Disaster Roaming details still not sorted

The upcoming disaster season will be the first test of telco’s new Temporary Disaster Roaming (TDR) apparatus.

By agreement between telcos, TDR will allow mobile phone users to roam to alternative mobile networks during extended disruption to their usual mobile service due to severe weather, bushfires or floods.

iTnews understands that the carriers have arrived at mutual cooperation agreements necessary for trials currently underway, but final agreements on how the TDR will operate are yet to be signed off.

Sources familiar with the matter told iTnews that the carriers are yet to agree on thresholds for when TDR should be activated in a particular geographic disaster zone.

A spokesperson for the Department of Communications confirmed that carriers were still negotiating the operational details of TDR.

“The department is continuing to engage with mobile network operators and emergency service organisations to facilitate the roll out of this capability. Further details as to how TDR will operate in practice are being carefully worked through with stakeholders,” the spokesperson said.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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