Australian authorities have vowed that telecommunications giant Optus will face “significant consequences” following a nationwide systems outage last week, which left hundreds unable to contact emergency services and has been linked to multiple deaths.
The outage, which affected over half of the country, lasted 13 hours, preventing more than 600 emergency calls from connecting, primarily in South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory, with additional failed calls reported in south-western New South Wales.
Delay in Response Sparks Public Outrage
Optus, one of Australia’s two major telecom providers, reportedly took 40 hours to notify the public about the failure and did not inform regulators until the issue had been resolved, contrary to standard procedures outlined by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma).
The company has confirmed at least three deaths linked to the outage, including a baby boy, though police investigations suggest the network failure may not have been the direct cause in one case. Officials in Western Australia have indicated a possible fourth death following a failed triple-0 call.
At a Friday press conference, Optus CEO Stephen Rue attributed the outage to a technical fault during a network upgrade, admitting that the company was unaware of the problem for 13 hours despite multiple customer complaints.
“I would like to reiterate how sorry I am about the very sad loss of the lives of four people who could not reach emergency services in their time of need,” Rue said on Sunday. “Actions are and will be taken to ensure this does not happen in future.”
Regulatory and Government Response
The Acma expressed deep concern over the incident, emphasizing that reliable access to emergency services is a telco’s most fundamental responsibility. The regulator noted that Optus had previously been penalized more than A$12 million for a 2023 outage that left thousands unable to reach emergency services.
Communications Minister Anika Wells condemned the failure, stating that there is “no excuse” for triple-0 call disruptions. She confirmed that she had spoken with Rue and warned that the company’s repeated failures had “perpetuated an enormous failure on the Australian people.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added that Rue should consider resignation.
Ongoing Investigation
Investigations into the outage remain ongoing, with Optus pledging daily public updates as more information emerges. The incident has reignited debates over telecom accountability and the safeguarding of emergency communications in Australia, highlighting the devastating consequences of system failures in critical public services.
Source – My News Ghana
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