Sydney, Feb 1, 2026, 17:32 AEDT — The market has closed for the day.
- Telstra shares ended Friday at A$4.88, marking a 0.6% gain.
- A consumer advocate has warned that without stricter oversight, more mobile and network outages could occur, following an Apple software update that disrupted service for some Telstra users—including blocking emergency calls.
- Telstra’s half-year results, due Feb. 19, stand as the next major event for investors.
Telstra Group shares start the week under fresh pressure as a recent Apple iPhone software update disrupted service for some users, cutting them off from the carrier’s network—and crucially, Australia’s 000 emergency number. The outage has sparked new calls for stricter regulation. Telstra said it had “moved quickly” alongside Apple to investigate and assist affected customers, ABC News reported. ABC News
Timing is crucial. Trading kicks back in on Monday, right amid Australia’s wider argument over whether telcos can be trusted to regulate themselves during critical phone service outages.
It also raises a tricky headline risk just before Telstra’s February reporting season, where management will face tough questions on customer churn, service quality, and remediation expenses — despite the root cause lying with handset software.
Telstra shares (ASX:TLS) closed Friday at A$4.88, rising 0.03 Australian dollars, or 0.62%, on volume exceeding 21 million shares, Morningstar data shows.
The issue stemmed from an iOS 16.7.13 update hitting older iPhone models on Telstra’s network. Apple rolled out a carrier settings update for affected Telstra customers and confirmed it has “identified a fix” for a forthcoming software update, according to media reports. News.com.au
A carrier settings update differs from a full iOS upgrade. It changes how the phone connects to the network and can be pushed out even if users are advised to skip major software updates.
Still, the downside scenario isn’t pretty. Prolonged outages or delayed repairs could spark compensation claims, stricter compliance rules, or customers jumping to competitors — a real threat in a market where mobile service barely stands out on price.
Investors are also keeping an eye on how the emergency-call oversight system takes shape, especially after previous sector missteps intensified political scrutiny on access to 000.
Telstra is set to release its half-year results on Thursday, Feb. 19. The company’s ex-dividend date follows shortly after, on Feb. 25, as noted in its investor calendar.
