Important Notice
With the nbn network being fully built and operational* and the completion of mass disconnection from the legacy copper network, nbn closed the Medical Alarm register on Friday 30 June 2023. nbn will continue to provide migration assistance for services registered prior to this date, until they are migrated or disconnected from the legacy copper network.
If your medical alarm is still relying on the legacy copper network to make emergency alert calls, you will need to organise the migration of the existing equipment to an alternative technology (such as the nbn network or a mobile network).
Please contact your medical alarm provider and phone and internet provider to initiate the migration or for further information.
If you have an urgent query, please refer to our Contact Us page.
If you use a medical alarm at home
Where else to get help
If you are using a medical alarm on the nbn network, any support requests need to be directed to your alarm supplier or phone and internet provider.
If you have special needs or a serious medical condition, please speak to your phone and internet provider today about any assistance services they may offer. As a wholesaler, nbn does not offer these services.
Telstra is required by the Australian Government to offer Priority Assistance services to people with a life-threatening medical condition. Other phone or internet providers may also offer Priority Assistance (or similar arrangements) to their customers. More information is available from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
If you or a loved one have special needs or a serious medical condition, please speak to your phone and internet provider today about any assistance services they may offer. As a wholesaler, nbn does not offer these services.
Telstra is required by the Australian Government to offer Priority Assistance services to people with a life-threatening medical condition. Other phone or internet providers may also offer Priority Assistance (or similar arrangements) to their customers. More information is available from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Some providers also offer modems with mobile network and battery backup. These are helpful in the event of a power outage, where the nbn network may not be available. If you decide to choose one of these modems, be sure to ask if it will continue to provide phone services when running in mobile backup mode. We also recommend those with medical conditions carry a charged mobile phone at all times.
The Medical Alarm Register is not an ongoing service. The assistance provided is limited to the migration of medical alarms from the legacy copper network onto any alternative technology. Registrations are closed once migration or disconnection at the registered premises has occurred and/or we’ve worked with you to confirm that your alarm is working on the nbn network (or any other technology).
If your home is covered by our Fixed Wireless or Satellite networks, you have the option to keep your existing home phone line. We strongly recommend asking your phone and internet provider to keep your existing phone line connected. This is because phone or internet services running over nbn’s Fixed Wireless and Satellite networks will not work in a power outage.
Alternately, you can use a medical alarm that is equipped with battery and mobile network back-ups (ensure you have sufficient mobile signal strength at your location). Talk to you alarm provider for options.
Impacted landline phone and internet services, including critical devices that operate over those services such as medical alarms, may stop working once the existing network is disconnected. If you don't want to connect to the nbn access network, ask your device provider about other options, including mobile phone and/or mobile broadband.
Additional contact information
Services for people with hearing or speech impairment
If you have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service:
- TTY phone 1800 555 677 and enter 1800 687 626
- Speak and Listen users phone 1800 555 727 and enter 1800 687 626
- Internet relay users connect to internet-relay.nrscall.gov.au and enter 1800 687 626
Translating or interpreting services
If you need an interpreter, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 and ask for the NBN Co Contact Centre on 1800 687 626
NBN Co’s build completion commitment was that all standard installation premises in Australia are able to connect to the nbn access network as at 30 June 2020. This excludes premises in future new developments which will be an ongoing activity for the Company beyond the build completion date. It also excludes a small proportion of premises defined as ‘complex connections’ – which includes properties that are difficult to access, culturally significant areas and heritage sites – where connection depends on factors outside NBN Co’s control such as permission from traditional owners, and where network construction to allow such premises to connect will be an ongoing activity of NBN Co beyond 30 June 2020.