Sydney, Jan 31, 2026, 17:39 AEDT — Markets are closed.
- Telstra shares ended Friday at A$4.88, rising 1.46% after fluctuating between A$4.82 and A$4.89 during the session
- Telstra acknowledged an iPhone connectivity issue and directed customers to an Apple carrier-settings update as the solution
- Upcoming key dates: the Reserve Bank of Australia meets on Feb. 3, followed by Telstra’s half-year earnings on Feb. 19
Shares of Telstra Group Limited ended Friday at A$4.88, gaining 1.46% on the day and edging up for the year so far, even as the broader market slipped.
That outperformance comes at a tricky time. Investors are juggling concerns over service reliability with a packed February schedule, featuring the central bank’s rate decision and Telstra’s earnings report.
Telstra revealed a problem tied to an Apple software update that prevented some older iPhones—including the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X running iOS 16.7.13—from connecting to its network. The issue stemmed from a carrier settings update Apple rolled out, a minor patch for network settings. Users were advised to verify that “Telstra 54.1” shows up under Service Provider after applying it. The telco also noted that calls to Triple Zero (000), Australia’s emergency number, should automatically switch to an alternative mobile network if available, though a delay may occur before the affected device connects. Telstra.com
On Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.65% to close at 8,869.1 points, dragged down by declines in miners and softer materials shares.
Telstra tends to behave more like a defensive play than a growth stock. It goes head-to-head with Optus and TPG Telecom in mobile and broadband. A sustained service outage could easily turn into a customer churn headache, not just a technical glitch.
The concerns over Triple Zero access have been raised before. Carol Bennett, leader of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, cautioned that outages and failures will persist unless stricter regulation is enforced, ABC News reported.
Rates remain a key wild card. The Reserve Bank’s cash rate target sits at 3.60%, with the next decision set for 2:30 p.m. AEDT on Feb. 3. This follows a two-day meeting starting Feb. 2, per the central bank’s calendar.
Markets are split on whether the upcoming meeting will trigger a move. Adam Boynton, ANZ’s head of Australian economics, told Canstar that a rate hike in February might just be a one-off “insurance” move, not the launch of a fresh tightening cycle. Canstar
Telstra’s calendar pins its half-year results release for Thursday, Feb. 19. The ex-dividend date is set for Feb. 25, marking when shares trade without entitlement to the interim dividend. The record date follows on Feb. 26, with dividend payments scheduled for March 27.
The risk is clear: if the iPhone fix falls short or more users struggle to contact emergency services, what started as a “software glitch” could escalate into a serious trust problem. Meanwhile, a more aggressive-than-anticipated rate shift would put pressure on demand for high-dividend stocks.
Monday’s open hinges on any weekend news about the Apple/Telstra fix. Attention then shifts sharply to the RBA on Tuesday, with Telstra’s results due February 19 and dividend dates coming after.
