Given the latest Optus debacle, are there reliable alternatives to reaching 000 if the call on your mobile network fails? Does switching off the sim work? (calls without sim to 000 should be automatically picked up by any available carrier).
Will dedicated apps eg St John First Responder make calls via mobile data instead?
Others Ways to Call 000?
Browsers on 20/09/2025 - 19:22
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people negging you have 0 sense of humour
Yes, email might have got through actually
But anyway, isn't it a bit late to be asking now?
No make that 000 sense of humour
classic - one of the most iconic moments of the series :‑D
followed by the "it's okay, I've sent an email" line (or words to that effect) when Jen comes in and sees the fire.
And don't forget the final scene where the firemen arrive: 'we've had an email about a fire!'.
iPhone satellite
Only works if you don't have reception.
It works when the call doesn't route properly.
112
My understanding is that it goes through your chosen mobile provider first …
If you don't have a SIM card / your chosen mobile provider has no cell service to connect to, it will then jump onto whoever is next strongest/available.
Given that people were still connected to the Optus network, I don't believe this would have worked.
That's not true:
"112 is an international standard emergency number which can only be dialled on a digital mobile phone. It is accepted as a secondary international emergency number in some parts of the world, including Australia, and can be dialled in areas of GSM network coverage with the call automatically translated to that country’s emergency number. It does not require a simcard or pin number to make the call, however phone coverage must be available (any carrier) for the call to proceed."
Source:
https://www.triplezero.gov.au/triple-zero/other-emergency-nu…Still it depends on a few factors:
- phone connects to a different provider when making the call.
- phone is not locked to the provider that is down.
911
+1911
IYKYK
I'm sure sure why you were downvoted for this. Both 911 and 999 redirect to 000.
Both 911 and 999 redirect to 000.
I suppose it doesn't answer OP's question since the problem is not being able to connect to 000 in the first place.
"Other ways to call 000?"
"… call 000"
:)I am also sure sure
I cannot unsee/unhear that!!!
Sade would have been better. ;)
Local pay phone: You couldn't live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me.
they are all mobiles now
No they're not.
the last few ive used had a mobile number as the caller iD
@Far Cough: But could you just walk off with it? Pretty sure the handsets are all tethered and the rest of it is bolted to the ground still. Ergo, not mobile.
Faster to drive to hospital
This comedy was lost in the group.
You must be from Victoria 😅
You can send an SMS to emergency services through the National Relay Service. You can't text 000 directly, you have to use their number.
Probably better to remove your sim card or turn off your esim and try 000/112 first though.
Excellent post. I am storing this number. Excellent if your microphone or speaker is dead, or very bad reception.
Hopefully their backend isn't Optus.
Useful if you’re hiding somewhere
Is that you Desi?
Great! Just a question.. if i forget to type ‘GA’ at the end, will this just bot work? Seems like an unnecessary step that can get people caught out
I don't think it's a bot, the sms goes to a human relay officer who reads it. You will receive an automated sms reply to acknowledge that the system has received your sms, but it'd be a human that reads the message.
GA (go ahead) is the equivalent of saying "over" when using a 2-way radio. It just lets the other party know that you've finished talking. I imagine the relay officer wouldn't get stuck on a message without GA at the end if it's clear what's going on.
Send an SMS to 0423 677 767 (the call will be given priority).
Include this information in the SMS:
• 000
• FIRE or POLICE or AMBULANCE
• Your name
• Location of emergency including address or landmark
• Details about the emergency
• Type GA (Go ahead) at end of your message.
So you have a SIM tool available or in reach during an emergency?
It's a rhetorical question. (Big) Chances are if you're an iPhone user your head isn't quite tech ready to use tech like that.
You just go to settings and click turn off line, you don’t even need a sim tool?
Using the satellite feature is easy as, you even get a guide when you update iOS on how to use it so I don’t think that’s an issue.
It is weird that these people didn't use satellite calling (available on most new mobiles)
Satellite calling is not available from mobile phones yet. There is satellite texting (when outdoors) but you cannot text 000 anyway. And if there is a mobile network in range, the phone would use that instead.
or just remove the sim/switch to SOS.
Hindsight is 20/20. If a person's phone can call any regular number fine, they wouldn't immediately think there's anything wrong with the SIM. Having someone literally dying in front of you also changes things.
You definitely can get it touch with 000 I’ve used it before.
What exactly did you do, from what device?
I’m pretty sure most people with common sense would pick up quite quickly that there may be an issue with their SIM if 000 isn’t dialling.
It's pretty easy to comment on things from a comfortable armchair. :)
iPhone even says here it works in AU.
That's satellite texting which I mentioned above. You specifically mentioned satellite calling. This whole debacle is about calling emergency services.
It’s called having survival skills. If 000 isn’t dialling what’s the point in just standing still doing nothing?
You have absolutely zero idea what the circumstances were. If someone was alone at home and had a stroke or heart attack, they wouldn't be capable of just walking outside, pointing their iphone to the sky in a certain position for a minute, and have a text conversation.
Not everyone is technology literate either. A grandparent who didn't grow up with technology might not think it'd make sense to remove a SIM card to make a phone call.
@WoodYouLikeSomeCash: Would your grandparents know immediately how to do that off the top of their head if their spouse is on the floor dying from a heart attack?
If they didn't, would you just go "ah, natural selection, they should have known better."
@WoodYouLikeSomeCash: You're lower than freeb1e4me, Trying2SaveABuck & Sustainable Office Solutions put together!
@kaybrr: Can only assume troll posts otherwise just a great example of how far the human race has fallen, assuming its not a joint account for those 3 where they each get to type the next word in the sentence.
Should probably submit themselves for scientific testing/studies, they can clearly tell the future so would have perfectly clear and calm mind in any situation or emergency. I mean the scientific advancements to see how they solve puzzles where failure means death, ie while having a heart attack / stroke would be amazing.
Hindsight is 20/20
That’s exactly what this post is for?
The point is, we now know it was a routing issue with 000. But when you're having a heart attack or someone in front of you is dying, it wouldn't be immediately obvious that there's a routing issue with the telco since you can still make and receive calls to other numbers, so you wouldn't think to look for a paper clip to remove a sim.
People often forget that there are many, many nontechnical people who wouldn't ever think of removing a SIM card to make a phone call.
It is weird that these people
It’s just natural selection
personal intellectual issue
You're disgusting
It's so weird that in a medical emergency these people didn't have the foresight to do something that no one in Australia had ever had the need to do until two days ago.
/s
0118 999 881 999 119 725… 3
I was hoping there was an Easter Egg and the numbers spelled something, but unfortunately not.
It's from IT Crowd. Classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWc3WY3fuZU
Reynholm Industries couldn't do worse. How the hell did this happen? Didn't they have people testing?
It still is an easter egg in Android phones. Try it.
I know about the relevance of the number and where it came from, and also about the flashing police lights on Android, but that was done after the fact. I just thought they missed an opportunity to fit a hidden message in there with the seemingly random mix of numbers. Unfortunately none of the numbers make any words until the 4 last ones, which are still meaningless and just a fluke in making an irrelevant word.
@bargaino: I know the whole sketch was taking a dig at the trend of adding the prefix unnecessarily to simple phone numbers, and I recognise that they used the real emergency number 999 a couple of times.
The government need to allocate proper funding to the https://www.emergencyplus.com.au/ app as well. It's underdeveloped and looks very outdated.
Remove the SIM from the phone and dial 112
Sure .. remove your SIM Card … But you need to also manually select Telstra or Vodafone as your preferred mobile network (this takes time).
If you leave it as Automatic, you may be unlucky and connect back to the Optus towers … which means you are now worse than before 1) you can't call 000 2) you can't call any number as you have removed your sim ;)000 should also still work. Even if you remove your sim.
Except 000 will connect to the nearest cell tower … and if that happens to be Optus, well those calls were being "blocked" by the Optus firewall so calls couldn't get through!
That's the major problem here… Any calls from an Optus SIM or cell tower were failing
Another cheap phone with just a sim card and no credit on another network.
Don't need to do that, any mobile with or without a sim card and dial 112, it will connect to ANY available network.
How can a tourist call 000 from their assumingly foreign device?
The world wide emergency number is 112 and it will work from anywhere in the world you can get cellular coverage.
And generally tourists will either be on roaming or get a local sim card, which will allow them to call 000.
If you are roaming, you are still connecting to an Australian carrier, which means 000 works :)I recall reading, many years ago, that mobile phones in Australia should use 112 rather than 000.
000 should work but otherwise 112
Use a payphone to call Tank for the paramedic program
Telstra booth if you can find them
Nope.
Emergency services rely completely on the big telcos with no backup plan in place, because it’s not needed?
It will be a lonely and tragic end for many dying, waiting for help that will come hours too late.
If you can't get through to 000, surely you'd just call someone else. Not just give up.
The first someone else you'd try would be the Police Assistance Line, 131 444.
The second someone else would be anyone else, a relative, a friend, anyone, and get them to call 000 for you.
Of course, but I think this is all on the assumption there is a primary network outage and you cannot call anyone else or any other number. If there is a network outage, your device should "camp on" to another network and allow 000 calls.
Surprised no one has said UHF CB Radio or Amateur/Ham Radio to seek assistance from someone else who can contact 000 for you and relay information.
UHF CB Radio
Maybe 15-20 years ago? UHF CB can be pretty dead in many areas nowadays. Few people know about 5/35, and if the other user is using ctcss they won't hear the call anyway.
or Amateur/Ham Radio
There are relatively so few of them around, it's really not worth mentioning.
Maybe 15-20 years ago? UHF CB can be pretty dead in many areas nowadays. Few people know about 5/35, and if the other user is using ctcss they won't hear the call anyway.
Most people with a 4WD or SUV you one. Most have it set to listen on Channel 40, at least I do. You'll be surprised how many people are listening and I am sure in a really bad situation liking needing help and someone to call 000, many would pop up and assist.
There are relatively so few of them around, it's really not worth mentioning.
I think you'll be surprised. Its a very active and popular hobby. Many might not be speaking, but lots are listening. Most people have a radio on scan. People are still seeking to get their radio licenses, so it isn't dead.
Plus with new digital and internet modes, it makes the hobby a little more attractive and fun.
Overall, if you came up on any frequency and called a pan pan I am sure you could get assistance.
Most people with a 4WD or SUV you one.
Sure, but you'd have to hope there are people driving with their radio on near you while you're having an emergency.
Most have it listening on Channel 40, at least I do. You'll be surprised how many people are listening.
If on a highway, sure. But if you don't live near a highway, the number will drop dramatically. The range on a little rubber duck antenna indoors is rather poor too. There's probably a larger number of people on Meshtastic listening. Pity it's not the most reliable system either.
Plus with new digital and internet modes, it makes the hobby a little more attractive and fun.
With DMR you'd have to hope people have set their radio to promiscuous mode! :)
Overall, if you came up on any frequency and called a pan pan(en.wikipedia.org) I am sure you could get assistance.
This is a really niche suggestion. I would never recommend the unlicenced general public buy a 2-way radio just in case someone is monitoring a random frequency during an emergency. I think a second mobile phone with no sim, or a PLB, would be a safer suggestion.
I didn't neg your first comment btw.
Sure, but you'd have to hope there are people driving with their radio on near you while you're having an emergency.
Of course.
If on a highway, sure. But if you don't live near a highway, the number will drop dramatically. The range on a little rubber duck antenna indoors is rather poor too.
Possibly. Depends on where you live. Obviously various factors for Handheld vs a Mobile Antenna. I was more thinking of people going to their vehicle and putting out a call, not trying to run a handheld inside a building.
There's probably a larger number of people on Meshtastic listening. Pity it's not the most reliable system either.
Yeah, I tried and have played with Meshtastic and didn't like it.
With DMR you'd have to hope people have set their radio to promiscuous mode! :)
Purely just an example. I often have my DMR radio going on the general call channel 505, its pretty active. But there is also D-Star etc.
This is a really niche suggestion. I would never recommend the unlicenced general public buy a 2-way radio just in case someone is monitoring a random frequency during an emergency.
I wouldn't say really niche, but it is a niche suggestion. I agree, the general public shouldn't buy a radio where they are not licensed or allowed to be for an emergency. Whilst, technically, you are allowed in the event of an emergency, still wouldn't recommend.
I am also not saying a random frequency to call on, but a known frequency where people would be listening like a repeater. For example, I am listening to two now. One to a specific region and then another that is linked from one side of the state to the other.
I think a second mobile phone with no sim, or a PLB, would be a safer suggestion.
I agree, there are other options, but purely throwing it out there.
I didn't neg your first comment btw.
Thank you.
Legit answer and someone legit negged you without reason. People these days are seriously questionable characters.
0 118999 88199 9919725…3
Copper network was pretty reliable, just saying…
It's sad that this is something we need to be concerned about
are there reliable alternatives to reaching 000
Will keep my perfectly working 4G Optus-blacklisted phone for this.
If you have an Internet connection, you can call 000 using VOIP but you’d want to have a VOIP service pre-setup prior to any emergency.
If you're reliant on your mobile data though (if you're out in the bush or travelling) then it's not a viable alternative.
Possibly if you're on NBN, but given the scale of the outage last year that's not necessarily a reliable option either
If it involves humans or technology you can't make it perfectly reliable.
You can't have a 000 system that never ever fails. You can't have a child care or elderly care system that there aren't any abusers or incompetents in.
You can make them better, if they're not good enough, but you can't eliminate all possible problems. Throwing more humans or more technology to give you redundancy and reporting and management of problems makes it more complicated and means the problems that do occur will be harder to detect and fix. Complexity is the enemy of reliability.
We live in a society with first world problems. The third world's problem is they don't have any 000 system if there's an emergency. We complain bitterly when on extremely rare occasions it doesn't work, precisely because nearly all of the time its there protecting us and works so reliably.
000 is a way less important system than that which keeps the fridge door shut on smallpox. Highly failure tolerant systems are a solved problem. They're just really expensive.
000 didn't fail, Optus routing failed, and they should be ruthlessly punished for that. All you need to do to change your sort of failure is inevitable attitude is to increase the cost for said failure. You stop making excuses and start figuring out how to make things work come hell or high water when it is your head that will get cut off (and that's also the reason the third world is so mediocre - no single person is held responsible and thus nobody cares enough to make sure anything works. Between God's will and witchcraft every incompetence under the sun will be excused).
The moment you marry responsibility and consequence in a way that will ruin those that fail is the moment you can rest easier that a sufficient job will be done. You let people snake out of it, and they will.
As for the failure to police intraspecies predators, that has everything to do with the fact we don't identify and control for them. A large part of that is because we simply don't give a damn about their victims. Everyone claims to care about welfare of the vulnerable until you raise the idea of executing offenders, then you get to see what they really believe about the suffering of the victims. Again, this is nothing more than a matter of attitude, some believe it can't be fixed and others understand how to shop for a quality woodchipper.
If you've got a PLB for hiking or other adventure activities - just activate that. The signal will go out via satellite. You'll get a call from the national rescue coordination centre if any form of calling is working. Otherwise you'll get police or ambulance turning up to your GPS location
8675309
36 24 36 hey.
Use satellite phone to call 911?
Apparently USA doesn’t have this issue
Apparently USA doesn’t have this issue
What issue? A firewall configuration problem causing emergency number outages?
I’m just surprised after the cockup last year people would be smart enough to ditch Optus, but it seems like some rolled the dice and stayed? Crazy, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice…??
Just have a different telco on another phone / eSIM or use the local hospital / police station number, or crime stoppers?
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I prefer e-mail