Australia’s second-largest telco faces renewed scrutiny after emergency services become unreachable for thousands.
Optus customers in NSW woke on Sunday to discover their lifeline had been severed. A mobile tower failure in Dapto left roughly 4,500 people unable to reach triple-zero between 3am and 12:20pm on 29 September.
Nine emergency calls failed during the nine-hour window. One person needing an ambulance had to scramble for another phone.
The Pattern That’s Alarming Australia
This marks the second major Optus triple zero outage in less than a fortnight. The timing couldn’t be worse for CEO Stephen Rue, who’s barely had time to address the previous disaster.
The telco faces mounting pressure over repeated triple-zero failures
On 18 September, a botched firewall upgrade blocked around 600 triple-zero calls across South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and parts of NSW. Four people died during that 13-hour outage, including an eight-week-old baby.
NSW Police conducted welfare checks on five people who tried reaching emergency services during Sunday’s Dapto incident. Officers confirmed everyone is safe. Two calls were accidental, according to Optus.
Similar telecommunications infrastructure failures have plagued Australia’s telco sector, raising questions about network resilience.
Human Error or Systemic Failure?
Rue blamed “human error” for the 18 September catastrophe, stating established processes weren’t followed during a routine upgrade. He’s since frozen all network changes pending a full investigation.
But critics say that’s not good enough. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has launched a formal investigation into both incidents.
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin didn’t mince words: “Australians must be able to contact emergency services whenever they need help. This is the most fundamental responsibility every telco provider has to the public.”
The regulator is examining whether Optus:
- Ensured emergency calls connected at all times
- Conducted proper welfare checks
- Notified authorities promptly
- Kept customers informed
Political Pressure Intensifies
Communications Minister Anika Wells demanded answers. She’s arranged talks with representatives from Optus’s parent company, Singapore-based Singtel, who are flying to Australia this week.
“They have perpetuated a failure upon the Australian people,” Wells told reporters. “They can expect to suffer significant consequences.”
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to intervene directly. “Lives may have been put at risk,” he said. “The errors are mounting.”
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher described the repeat incident as proof Optus keeps “dropping the ball.”
CEO’s Job on the Line
Calls for Rue’s resignation are growing louder. Opposition members and Greens politicians want him gone despite Singtel’s backing.
Stephen joined Optus as Chief Executive Officer in November 2024
TV presenter Gus Worland said on Today that Rue must “fall on his sword,” noting his predecessor Kelly Bayer Rosmarin resigned over the 2023 outage.
That November 2023 failure, which also disrupted triple-zero access for over 2,000 people, cost Optus $12 million in penalties. The company still hadn’t implemented a third of the recommendations from that review when this month’s disasters struck.
Singtel Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon publicly supported Rue: “Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who have passed away and we know that Optus will get to the bottom of this matter.”
The Price of Failure
Optus faces mounting financial and reputational damage. Beyond potential ACMA penalties, the Federal Court just approved a $100 million fine for “unconscionable conduct” in predatory sales practices targeting vulnerable Australians.
While maximum penalties for emergency service failures can reach $50 million per breach, Optus’s 2023 outage fine was considerably less. Consumer advocates argue these amounts are pocket change for a telco generating hundreds of millions in annual profit.
Distinguished businesswoman Kerry Schott will lead an independent review into the September 18 outage, examining “causes, processes, protocols and operations.” Her report is due before year’s end.
What Happens Next?
The government is fast-tracking the creation of a Triple Zero custodian role, which would act as a national watchdog monitoring emergency call performance across all carriers in real-time.
Optus has halted further network upgrades and is monitoring triple-zero call volumes around the clock. But for the families of those who died, and the thousands left vulnerable, these measures come too late.
The telco’s reputation has plummeted. Already dealing with fallout from a 2022 data breach affecting millions, Optus now ranks as one of Australia’s most distrusted companies.
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FAQs About the Optus Triple-Zero Outage
1.How many people were affected by the latest Optus outage?
Around 4,500 customers in the Dapto area of NSW lost service between 3am and 12:20pm on 29 September. Nine triple-zero calls failed during this period.
2.What caused the Dapto outage?
A technical issue with a mobile phone tower in the Wollongong suburb of Dapto. Optus is still investigating the exact cause.
3.How is this different from the 18 September outage?
The earlier incident was caused by human error during a firewall upgrade and affected multiple states. The Dapto failure was localised to one tower serving about 4,500 users.
4.What penalties could Optus face?
ACMA is investigating potential breaches of emergency call service regulations. Maximum penalties can reach $50 million per contravention, though previous fines have been lower.
5.Can I trust triple-zero to work on Optus?
Communications Minister Anika Wells maintains Australians should have faith in the triple-zero system overall. However, these incidents have raised serious questions about Optus’s network reliability specifically.
