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Thelma could not contact help in an emergency
The issue
Thelma* is 90 years old and lives alone in a remote coastal community in Western Australia. There is no mobile coverage in her area, so she relies entirely on a landline service to stay connected. The landline service also supports her medical alarm.
When Thelma’s landline stopped working, she lost her only reliable means of communication.
The investigation
The fault occurred at a particularly critical time, as she experienced a medical emergency and was unable to place a call or use her medical alarm.
Despite contacting her telco multiple times to report the fault, the issue remained unresolved.
The outcome
Thelma was left frustrated and worried about her ability to access help in an emergency, and so she approached the TIO for assistance.
*Name changed for privacy reasons.