Have you tried turning it off and on again? Telstra’s AI already did

by · Australian Financial Review

Sam Buckingham-JonesMedia, marketing and telecommunications reporter
May 15, 2026 – 5.00am

If there’s one thing the British comedy series The IT Crowd is credited with, it’s popularising the phrase: “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”

The main characters from a fictional IT department often follow up with: “Is it plugged in?” These two questions solve the vast majority of issues and keep the show’s Reynholm Industries “thrusting” into the future.

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Sam Buckingham-JonesMedia, marketing and telecommunications reporterSam Buckingham-Jones is the media, marketing and telecommunications reporter at The Australian Financial Review. Send tips about the media and the telco sectors via encrypted messaging platform Signal (@samebjones.18) or email. Email Sam at sam.buckinghamjones@afr.com

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