Story perspectives

Telstra Network Outage Sparks Outcry Over Apple Update Flaw

1/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

In late January 2026, Telstra customers nationwide experienced a network outage caused by a flawed Apple iOS update, iOS 16.7.13.
The issue left older iPhone models, especially iPhone 8 and iPhone X, unable to make calls or access emergency services.
Apple paused the update and released a fix days later after widespread connectivity failures.
The outage highlighted vulnerabilities of devices and concerns about software updates, while Telstra faced scrutiny over its response.

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Story summary

In late January 2026, Telstra customers nationwide experienced a network outage caused by a flawed Apple iOS update, iOS 16.7.13.
The issue left older iPhone models, especially iPhone 8 and iPhone X, unable to make calls or access emergency services.
Apple paused the update and released a fix days later after widespread connectivity failures.
The outage highlighted vulnerabilities of devices and concerns about software updates, while Telstra faced scrutiny over its response.