TPG fined $400,000 for denying access to emergency numbers
18 replies, posted
[IMG]http://images.smh.com.au/2014/04/16/5353980/1397621383386.jpg-620x349.jpg[/IMG]
[QUOTE]Telco TPG has been fined $400,000 for failing to provide access to emergency numbers for customers who had not paid bills.
Federal Court Justice Mordecai Bromberg on Wednesday found TPG failed to give access to triple-0 and 112 on more than 190 occasions between March and September 2011.
He also found the company did not ensure that almost 6000 lines had access to emergency numbers over that period.
A software upgrade at TPG in 2011 barred all outgoing calls, including to emergency numbers, made from suspended and inactive accounts.
The error was discovered when a woman was barred from calling an ambulance for her sick husband from her home phone in September 2011.
The man suffered a heart attack and because of poor mobile phone reception, his wife could not relay important details about his condition.
He died in hospital days later.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found 193 emergency calls from TPG had been barred, and 5979 suspended or inactive accounts did not have access to triple-0 during the period.
"All Australians need to be assured that any call they make to the triple-0 emergency call service will be connected," ACMA chairman Chris Chapman said.
Read more: [url]http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/tpg-fined-400000-for-denying-access-to-emergency-numbers-20140416-zqvf7.html#ixzz2zX3Ngjw3[/url][/QUOTE]
It's 5 days old but was never posted here
anyone with access to a phone line regardless of subscription status should be able to call emergency numbers. good
Only $400k?
THat's pretty odd, and the fine should be larger. In Norway you don't even need a sim card to reach emergency numbers.
[QUOTE=Oscar Lima Echo;44605626]THat's pretty odd, and the fine should be larger. In Norway you don't even need a sim card to reach emergency numbers.[/QUOTE]
Same in America apparently, I remember QI saying that so many people dial 911 during Christmas in the states because its one of the few numbers that works without a sim and people want to test their phones.
[QUOTE=Genericenemy;44606089]Same in America apparently, I remember QI saying that so many people dial 911 during Christmas in the states because its one of the few numbers that works without a sim and people want to test their phones.[/QUOTE]
Haha what the fuck?
Isn't there a fine for calling 911 when you don't need it?
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;44606112]Haha what the fuck?
Isn't there a fine for calling 911 when you don't need it?[/QUOTE]
I don't think you get a fine if you hang up.
[QUOTE=XeroG;44606126]I don't think you get a fine if you hang up.[/QUOTE]
If you hang up they have to come to your house. A victim of a crime who couldn't talk at the moment would do something like that. I imagine they would fine you and hand out hundreds of fines when Christmas comes around.
They should have fined them out of business instead. From what I've gathered by talking to a few Australian friends and seeing posts on here about them, they're fucking disgusting as a company.
[QUOTE=draugur;44606431]They should have fined them out of business instead. From what I've gathered by talking to a few Australian friends and seeing posts on here about them, they're fucking disgusting as a company.[/QUOTE]
I'd want criminal charges at the highest part of the pyramid that ordered it too - if it's the head of division, CEO, whatever. People at the bottom are just following orders normally, but there's someone who made that call in the first place who should be responsible.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;44606112]Haha what the fuck?
Isn't there a fine for calling 911 when you don't need it?[/QUOTE]
Not if you talk to the operator and explain that you dialed it on accident. Hanging up without saying anything, however, will make them dispatch a police car or two to your house I'm pretty sure.
[QUOTE=psychojake;44606661]Not if you talk to the operator and explain that you dialed it on accident. Hanging up without saying anything, however, will make them dispatch a police car or two to your house I'm pretty sure.[/QUOTE]
Once I was playing with one of those old rotary phones and it had this random button on the front, so I pressed it and it started ringing so I put the phone down, but then they phoned me back (The woman said "Hello <my town> police, how may I help you?") and I panicked and said 'Oh god sorry!' and immediately put the phone down and I never heard from that woman again. Scary stuff.
[QUOTE=Terminutter;44606470]I'd want criminal charges at the highest part of the pyramid that ordered it too - if it's the head of division, CEO, whatever. People at the bottom are just following orders normally, but there's someone who made that call in the first place who should be responsible.[/QUOTE]
The article says it was a software error (the software upgrade automagically barred 000/112 calls).
[QUOTE=draugur;44606431]They should have fined them out of business instead. From what I've gathered by talking to a few Australian friends and seeing posts on here about them, they're fucking disgusting as a company.[/QUOTE]
I don't think killing a company is as good as you think it is.
[QUOTE=psychojake;44606661]Not if you talk to the operator and explain that you dialed it on accident. Hanging up without saying anything, however, will make them dispatch a police car or two to your house I'm pretty sure.[/QUOTE]
I wonder: say someone breaks into your home. You try calling 911/whatever emergency service, and the intruder knocks the phone out of your hand and hangs up. The intruder or emergency service calls back, and the intruder could say "sorry, I that was a mistake."
[QUOTE=LegndNikko;44609336]I wonder: say someone breaks into your home. You try calling 911/whatever emergency service, and the intruder knocks the phone out of your hand and hangs up. The intruder or emergency service calls back, and the intruder could say "sorry, I that was a mistake."[/QUOTE]
Well then you're fucked.
[QUOTE=LegndNikko;44609336]I wonder: say someone breaks into your home. You try calling 911/whatever emergency service, and the intruder knocks the phone out of your hand and hangs up. The intruder or emergency service calls back, and the intruder could say "sorry, I that was a mistake."[/QUOTE]
You could always scream if they do that, sure they'd be angry at you but at least help would probably be on the way.
If it was actually just a software error then the $400k fine seems reasonable, enough to send a message but not enough to actually hurt them over a simple mistake (If it was on purpose then yes the fine should hurt them)
[QUOTE=draugur;44606431]They should have fined them out of business instead. From what I've gathered by talking to a few Australian friends and seeing posts on here about them, they're fucking disgusting as a company.[/QUOTE]
I used TPG for an ISP for years, the technical support was horrible, but the service itself was ok for the price (Officering 3-5 times as much data quota for the same price as competitors, etc.)
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.