Telstra iPhone Outage from iOS Update Fixed in Australia

Thousands of older iPhone users on Australia's Telstra network have been unable to send text messages or make phone calls, including to emergency services, since earlier this week due to a software update glitch.

The issue affects iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models that received Apple's iOS 16.7.13 update, released on January 26. Telstra identified the problem on Wednesday, noting that these devices were failing to connect properly to its network. Customers reported widespread disruptions, with some describing their phones as nearly unusable, limited to WiFi-only functions. The outage prevented calls to Triple Zero, Australia's emergency number, raising immediate safety concerns.

Telstra confirmed the scope on its website, stating that affected devices would display "SOS" mode and attempt to route emergency calls through alternative networks if available, though this process could take up to a minute. "We're working on this as a priority with Apple and will share updates as we have them," the company said. It advised users of the impacted models to delay further software updates until a resolution.

By Thursday afternoon, Telstra announced that Apple had released a...