The federal government remained oblivious to Optus’ deadly triple-0 outage for more than a day because the telecommunications giant sent critical notifications to an obsolete email address. The bungle has intensified pressure on embattled Optus CEO Stephen Rue, who faces mounting calls to resign.
Critical Notifications Lost in Digital Void
Department of Communications deputy secretary James Chisholm revealed Tuesday that Optus dispatched two emails on 18 September about the emergency call service failure. The first arrived at 2:45 PM alerting officials to the outage. Seven minutes later, another email claimed the issue was resolved.
Both messages vanished into a redundant inbox.
The department only learned of the crisis at 3:30 PM on Friday – more than 36 hours after the outage began – when the Australian Communications and Media Authority rang to ask why they hadn’t been notified.
The 18 September incident prevented over 600 triple-0 calls from connecting across South Australia, Northern Territory, Western Australia, and parts of New South Wales. Authorities have linked at least three deaths to the outage, which lasted approximately 13 hours.
Optus sent triple-zero outage email to wrong address
Department Changed Email Address Just Days Earlier
Adding another layer to the controversy, Communications and Infrastructure Department officials admitted they alerted telecommunications providers to the new email address just one week before the outage occurred. Officials had promised to “temporarily” monitor the old email during the transition period.
This revelation shifts some accountability to the department itself, though it doesn’t absolve Optus of its regulatory obligations to ensure critical notifications reach the appropriate authorities.
“The department updated contact details and informed all carriers,” Chisholm stated during Tuesday’s Senate hearing. “We made clear the old address would be monitored for a transitional period.”
Why This Email Matters
Under telecommunications regulations, carriers must notify the Department of Communications immediately when significant network outages affect emergency call services. The requirement exists precisely because lives depend on functioning triple-0 access.
The failed notification meant:
- Federal authorities couldn’t coordinate emergency responses
- State premiers and chief ministers received no timely warning
- Public safety messaging was delayed
- Welfare checks on affected callers started later than necessary
Optus completed welfare checks on affected callers only after the outage ended, which began late evening on 18 September.
Previous Optus controversies have demonstrated a pattern of inadequate communication with regulators and customers during critical incidents.
Pattern of Network Failures
This marks Optus’ third major technical failure impacting triple-0 services within three years.
In November 2023, another outage lasted over 14 hours and prevented more than 2,100 people from accessing emergency services. The Australian Communications and Media Authority fined Optus $18 million for breaching emergency call regulations during that incident.
Optus CEO Stephen Rue faces Parliamentary questioning over the email bungle
The company also failed to conduct 369 mandatory welfare checks following the 2023 outage.
Just 10 days after the September outage, a second incident occurred in Dapto, NSW, affecting approximately 4,500 customers and resulting in nine failed triple-0 calls. Telecommunications outages have become an increasingly serious concern for Australian regulators.
Government Response and Legislative Action
Communications Minister Anika Wells summoned Rue to Parliament on Tuesday and introduced legislation establishing a statutory triple-0 watchdog. The proposed laws would enshrine stronger oversight mechanisms into federal law.
“Optus failed the Australian people,” Wells stated following the meeting. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the company’s behaviour as “completely unacceptable.”
The government claims it has implemented 12 of 18 recommendations from a previous Optus outage review, with the remaining six underway. However, the latest incidents suggest implementation gaps remain.
Opposition Demands Independent Inquiry
Opposition communications spokesperson Melissa McIntosh launched a push in the House of Representatives for an independent inquiry into the outage. She argued the ACMA investigation alone was insufficient given the severity and recurring nature of Optus’ failures.
“The government has displayed disgraceful behaviour in refusing proper scrutiny of the triple-0 network,” McIntosh said. “Australians deserve answers about why this keeps happening.”
The Greens have also demanded Optus appear before a Senate inquiry to explain the incident comprehensively.
Telstra’s recent job cuts and industry restructuring have raised questions about whether cost-cutting across the telecommunications sector is compromising network reliability and emergency service capabilities.
What Comes Next for Optus?
Rue announced an independent investigation led by former NBN director Dr Kerry Schott. The inquiry will examine why established protocols weren’t followed during the firewall upgrade that triggered the outage.
Early findings suggest an employee failed to follow the three-step process for diverting call traffic before upgrading network equipment. Questions also remain about why “camp-on” procedures – designed to transfer emergency calls to functioning networks – didn’t work as intended.
Optus faces potential substantial penalties beyond the $18 million 2023 fine. The ACMA has commenced formal investigations, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission may examine whether the conduct constitutes unconscionable behaviour warranting additional sanctions.
The Singapore-owned telecommunications provider employs approximately 31,000 staff globally and services millions of Australian customers. Its repeated failures threaten not just its reputation but public trust in Australia’s emergency call infrastructure.
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FAQs
Q: How did the government eventually find out about the outage?
A: The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) called the Department of Communications at 3:30 PM on Friday, 19 September – more than 36 hours after the outage began.
Q: How many people died because of the Optus triple-0 outage?
A: Authorities have linked at least three deaths to the 18 September outage, though investigations continue into whether all deaths were directly caused by the triple-0 failure.
Q: What was Optus fined for the previous triple-0 outage?
A: Optus paid $18 million in penalties following the November 2023 outage that lasted over 14 hours and affected more than 2,100 emergency callers.
Q: Will Optus CEO Stephen Rue resign?
A: Despite calls for his resignation from politicians and media commentators, Rue has rejected demands to step down and announced an independent investigation instead.
Q: What caused the 18 September outage?
A: A routine firewall upgrade caused the outage when an employee failed to follow established protocols for diverting call traffic before making system changes.
