The Australian Financial Review has revealed that US manufacturer Microchip Technology notified carriers in January that two of Telstra’s synchronisation supply units, including the clock-like device that keeps time across the network, required replacement or updating ahead of a looming GPS “week rollover event”.
“The GPS system has a week rollover event once every 1024 weeks which relates to 19.69 years,” the notice said. For specific model devices made after 2008, the internal week rollover would occur between December 2025 and January 2027.
Microchip spelled out exactly what would happen if the warning was ignored. “When the internal week number rollover occurs, the GPS or GNSS engine will roll back in time 1024 weeks,” the company wrote, adding that “the system will remain locked to GPS and there will be no alarms to indicate the date/time roll back.”
ChannelNews understands that all Australian networks received the alert, with Telstra the only carrier to ignore it. A TPG spokesman told the AFR the affected part was replaced in 2024, while an Optus spokeswoman said the carrier “reviewed the advice, assessed our network and worked closely with the vendor” to resolve the issue in April.
“The GPS system has a week rollover event once every 1024 weeks which relates to 19.69 years,” the notice said. For specific model devices made after 2008, the internal week rollover would occur between December 2025 and January 2027.
Microchip spelled out exactly what would happen if the warning was ignored. “When the internal week number rollover occurs, the GPS or GNSS engine will roll back in time 1024 weeks,” the company wrote, adding that “the system will remain locked to GPS and there will be no alarms to indicate the date/time roll back.”
ChannelNews understands that all Australian networks received the alert, with Telstra the only carrier to ignore it. A TPG spokesman told the AFR the affected part was replaced in 2024, while an Optus spokeswoman said the carrier “reviewed the advice, assessed our network and worked closely with the vendor” to resolve the issue in April.
