No Calls or SMS after iOS16.7.13 earlier today

While I can appreciate this is a bad incident - I think from their response to the issue they were taking it seriously:

• once there was enough reason to believe there was an issue, they blocked it for all users who had not pressed the update button on day 1 (I generally do no do this, but wait for a couple of days before applying updates, for this very reason)
• an update from Telstra suggests that 000 calls would still have worked, but would have taken around minute to connect, as the phone negotiates the "camp-on" emergency roaming process
• at least some users who went into Apple stores were offered a temporary phone until the issue was resolved
• they announced this morning they had a fix in the works, and it came out about an hour ago (and worked)

Do I think they could have done better? Yes, I think they should have been able to roll back to 16.7.12 remotely. Their staff should have been more aware that 16.7.12 and 16.7.13 were recent updates, not three years old. That by 1:30p - 2pm AEST that there was some issue, specific to those phones with that update, and possibly Telstra specific. However, I am glad they responded as quickly as they did in stopping the update from spreading, and then getting a fix out. I just hope it was nothing more than an annoyance for those affected, and that checks will be put in place to ensure it doesn't happen again in the future.

pfmodel wrote:

16.7.13 is also causing other issues. My ipad Pro 12.9 1st gen did not upgrade to 16.7.13, claiming it was unable to verify and the ipad was locked. The internet advised me to reboot, delete the upgrade file and use itunes to download and upgrade.

It is not clear what you did or the advice that you got from the "internet". iOS 16.7.13 is currently not being signed by Apple and will not install on your device, even if connected to a computer. When attempting to install that update, you will get the message that it is unable to verify and that is because it is not signed, but I have not had it lock the iPad or iPhone and have tried updating many times including today to see if it was signed after the Carrier Update was issued for Telstra customers who had it installed.

I do agree with you that you should not be attempting any workarounds, or download any OS version from a third party site in an attempt to install the ipsw file onto the device. Whether you have Automatic Updates turned on or off, the update will not be installed on your device until it has been properly signed by Apple. If Apple drops a point update and abandons 16.7.13, then you will see the new version on your device.

It seems that Telstra and/or Apple haven’t pushed the Telstra 54.1 carrier settings update to all models. I’m using an iPhone 8 Plus (A1864 model (which have a Qualcomm modem rather than an Intel modem)) and there’s no carrier settings update. It’s still on Telstra 54.0.1. Anyone else in the same boat?

No problem. The curious thing is everything I’ve seen points to Telstra being the other common factor here… as my friends phone (iPhone X, 16.7.13) cellular started working again when I put my Optus SIM in it (and stopped when I put hers back in, this was the day before the carrier update) so if you are using a carrier that uses Telstra network, that is something else to consider.

You also mentioned you and your friends are with ALDI Mobile, so really you need to go through them. Even though they use the Telstra network, you are not a customer with Telstra, ALDI Mobile is.

So did Apple do any remote diagnostics (assuming you have the phone connected to wifi)?

Yeah, iOS 16.7.13 broke the phone. Carrier update 54.1 fixed the phone. iOS 16.7.14 broke the phone again, and carrier steadfastly sits at 54.1.

Perhaps 54.1.1 was to fix the iPhone 8Plus as I understand that after the initial fix, some of those were still broken. So far as Apple is concerned, the issue with 1OS 16.7.13 that started it all has been deemed resolved.

If 54.1.1 actually exists, how to get it pushed out to this phone. <shrug>

This is not a carrier issue! It only occurred after updating my iPhone X to 16.7.13. My sim works perfectly in an old iPhone 7 so it’s NOT the carrier it’s the update.

You mention you are on iOS 16.7.10… any particular reason you have updated to 16.7.12 (available since Sept 2025)? 16.7.14 is out now, or is rolling out, I would try to install that (over WiFi).

How interesting to be called “ignorant,” Kurtosis12, especially when I’m the one who actually contacted my carrier and went through their full diagnostic process. Your confidence is admirable, but your accuracy, less so.

For clarity, here’s what Belong (a Telstra reseller) confirmed:

Ajit – Belong Technical Support:

I did exactly that.

• Optus SIM in the iPhone X → same issues.

• Belong SIM in my Android → works perfectly.

Ajit – Belong Technical Support:

So yes, the carrier themselves identified it as an Apple‑side problem, which is the opposite of what you first claimed. But thank you for the accusation. Nothing highlights the strength of one’s argument quite like resorting to calling other users “ignorant.”

This is happening to a friend's iPhoneX from this morning. Have warned her husband not to upgrade his X for now.

My Number appears blank and the Service Provider says Not Available.

How ironic that an update to fix 000 calls manages to make all calls fail!

iPhone X with Boost (Telstra network)

Same issues as others. Calls failing after update yesterday afternoon. Sim works fine in other phones.

Have called Apple support and went through all the troubleshooting. No luck. They have made a note about it possibly being related to yesterdays update and will call again tomorrow. It was mentioned they had received a few calls about calls failing but not specifically to do with the 16.7.13 update.

1800CONWAY wrote:

I spoke with Apple today, and they advised that when my iPhone X was originally shipped it was configured for Vodafone. It’s now running on the Belong network through Telstra. I’m wondering whether this mismatch could be causing the issue, as the device may be getting confused about which carrier it should be using.

Telstra has not offered any additional information to what has been previously provided about trouble with older iPhones after the update. It still is unclear if they will simply push a Carrier Update to your device to resolve the problem.

If you have a different device to the iPhone X (Global), you need to pick the right firmware for your device. Go to the main page *** and start from there - it will walk you though picking the device and then firmware. There is also an "Identify My Device" page there to help you figure out things like is it GSM, Global, etc.

But given (according to Telstra) Apple has already identified a fix, I would seriously just wait for the update, as it probably won't be too long before they push it out.

[Edited by Moderator]

16.7.13 is also causing other issues. My ipad Pro 12.9 1st gen did not upgrade to 16.7.13, claiming it was unable to verify and the ipad was locked. The internet advised me to reboot, delete the upgrade file and use itunes to download and upgrade. Whatever you do, do not do this. It locks your ipad into the upgrade screen and you need to downgrade to 16.7.12, which is not a simple process for non-IT folks. Also you better have a backup otherwise you will lose everything. The downgrade and software/date restore can take 1-2 hours. I have turned off automatic update until this is resolved.