Optus’ network failed for triple zero calls, contributing to three deaths, CEO says
Table of Contents
- 1. Optus’ network failed for triple zero calls, contributing to three deaths, CEO says
- 2. That’s it for today, thanks for reading
- 3. Optus’ network failed for triple zero calls, contributing to three deaths, CEO says
- 4. Seven teens charged after alleged stabbing murders
- 5. What legal ramifications could optus face following the AFP and ACMA investigations, considering potential negligence and breaches of telecommunications regulations?
- 6. Optus Network Upgrade Tragedy: CEO Confirms Three fatalities Linked to Impaired Triple Zero Calls in Australia
- 7. The Scope of the Outage & Initial Response
- 8. Confirmed Fatalities & Ongoing Investigations
- 9. Technical Details of the Network Failure
- 10. Government Response & Regulatory scrutiny
- 11. What This Means for Australian Consumers: Practical Steps
- 12. The Role of Advanced Manufacturing in Network Resilience
- 13. Future Implications & Preventing Recurrence
Optus’s CEO, Stephen Rue, says the telecommunications company had an outage affecting triple zero calls.
He said the matter was still being investigated, but he apologised to the three families affected, two in South Australia and one in Western Australia.
Key events
That’s it for today, thanks for reading
Here are the main stories on Friday, 19 September:
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Optus says three people died after a network outage resulted in more than 600 triple zero calls failing in South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, Its CEO, Stephen Ruesaid he was “so sorry” to the families the network “let down”, and said an investigation was ongoing;
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Federal politics is again dominated by disputes on the climate crisis, with the prime minister Anthony Albanese saying the Coalition’s refusal to set emissions targets is “extraordinary” as leader SUSAN LAW says she “misspoke”;
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China has urged Papua New Guinea not to sign a treaty that could restrict or prevent it from cooperating with another country, days after Australia failed to secure a defence pact with the Pacific nation;
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Seven teenagers have been charged with murder after the stabbing deaths of 15-year-old Dau Aqueng and 12-year-old Chol Achiek in Melbourne’s west earlier this month;
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The South Australian cabinet has more women than men for first time in state history after the shock departure of the deputy premier and treasurer;
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A Victorian GP who treated triple murderer Erin Patterson and her victims after the deadly mushroom lunch has been slapped with conditions by the health regulator after speaking out about the case; and
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Joe Longo, the chair of the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), will not seek reappointment to the body when his term ends next May.
Enjoy the rest of your Friday, and the weekend.
Here’s the story we did about the 2024 outage. Optus was fined $12m for the outage, which also prevented people from calling triple zero.
Optus CEO promises transparency and to ‘get to the facts’
Rue added:
We will continue to do an investigation. I assure you, we will get to the facts; we will make them public.
Again, I sincerely apologise to those people who lost their lives.
On calling the press conference late on Friday, he said:
We have been establishing the facts … when they came to light. We’ve been doing welfare checks during the day. They have just been completed.
Rue confirmed part of the investigation would be why another network had not covered these calls while the Optus upgrade was occurring.
He said normal calls were going through at this time, but triple zero calls were affected. The exact duration of the outage was also being investigated, he said.
‘This is not about me’: Optus CEO declines to weigh in on his future at telco
Addressing a $12m fine Optus was given for a similar outage in 2024, after which Rue and the federal government said it would never happen again, he said:
I share your frustration. This should not have happened.
We are doing a thorough investigation.
The facts are still being established.
This is not acceptable.
Asked about his own future, given this had happened under his watch, Rue said:
Today is not about me, this is about the people who lost their lives.
Optus CEO apologises for deaths
Rue, the Optus CEO, says of the deaths:
I am so sorry for your loss.
We have let you down.
We will cooperate fully and transparently with all government agencies and regulatory bodies while we investigate this matter further.
Welfare checks still be completed after Optus outage, CEO says
The Optus CEO says that yesterday’s network outage during an upgrade also affected the Northern Territory.
Rue said it was frustrating that an outage similar to one that occurred in 2024 had happened again.
About 600 people were affected during yesterday’s outage, and a proportion of the calls did not go through, Rue said, adding that the failure had been rectified.
Welfare checks had found that three people had died, he said, noting that checks were continuing.
Optus’ network failed for triple zero calls, contributing to three deaths, CEO says
Optus’s CEO, Stephen Rue, says the telecommunications company had an outage affecting triple zero calls.
He said the matter was still being investigated, but he apologised to the three families affected, two in South Australia and one in Western Australia.
Former NSW MP should receive lighter sentence due to ‘enormous fall from grace’ after rape conviction, court hears
Lawyers for convicted rapist Gareth Ward have argued in court that he should receive a lighter sentence because of his “enormous fall from grace”, including the loss of his political career.
Ward, 44, resigned as a New South Wales MP last month, just hours before he was to be kicked out of parliament. He is due to learn his fate at the end of October, but faced a sentencing hearing on Friday.
Ward appeared before the Parramatta district court via video link from Cessnock prison, where he has been remanded in custody awaiting sentencing.
You can read more on that story here:
Seven teens charged after alleged stabbing murders
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Victoria Police have charged seven teenagers with the alleged stabbing murders of 15-year-old Dau Aqueng and 12-year-old Chol Achiek in Melbourne’s west earlier this month.
It comes after homicide squad detectives arrested seven people in early morning raids on Friday. The oldest arrested was 19 and the youngest 15.
The three adults will face the Melbourne magistrates’ court this afternoon, police said. The four children will appear at a children’s court this afternoon.
A 19-year-old Thornhill man, 16-year-old Sunbury boy, 15-year-old Hillside boy and 16-year-old Sydenham boy have been charged with Dau’s murder.
A 19-year-old Caroline Springs man, 18-year-old Wollert man and 16-year-old Sydenham boy have been charged with the murder of Achiek.
Federal government should end logging, fast-track energy infrastructure, Spender says
Spender says the federal government should prioritise ending native forest logging and speeding up the process for approvals of renewable energy infrastructure. She told the ABC:
We are a massive country … We have an opportunity to put in a lot of renewable energy resources. At the moment it is just too slow and that makes it too expensive and makes a more expensive than it should be.
If we are going to do this, I don’t think it’s about our commitment to the environment. What it is about is … speeding up the processes … particularly [between] federal government and state governments.
Independent Allegra Spender says ‘we really have to aim for the top end’ of emissions target
Allegra Spenderthe independent MP for Wentworth, says the upper limit on the range set for emissions reduction by 2035 should be what the federal government aims for. She told the ABC:
I take the Climate Change Authority advice very seriously. I recognised … 62-70% is an appropriate range.
As that is the final report … we should aim for the top end of that range.
Aim for the 70%. If we can get beyond that, great.
Having this broad range could mean we don’t have the right incentives left so we really have to aim for the top end.
Kean dodges question on opposition’s refusal to back emissions target
Kean ducks a question from the ABC on whether he would like to see the opposition sign up to the emissions target, which it has refused to do.
I would like to see all Australians sign up to delivering an economy that is stronger and more prosperous for future generations, while at the same time delivering a planet that is cleaner, better and safer for … Australians.
That’s exactly what underpins the Climate Change Authority’s advice to the government, and I’m thrilled they accepted it, and I encourage other political actors and people across the community of goodwill to look at the work done, to again get on board with that agenda of building a stronger economy and a safe and clean environment for everyone.
What legal ramifications could optus face following the AFP and ACMA investigations, considering potential negligence and breaches of telecommunications regulations?
Optus Network Upgrade Tragedy: CEO Confirms Three fatalities Linked to Impaired Triple Zero Calls in Australia
The Scope of the Outage & Initial Response
The nationwide Optus network outage, initiated during a planned upgrade on September 19th, 2025, has tragically resulted in confirmed fatalities. Optus CEO, Alistair Gabriel, publicly confirmed earlier today that three deaths are currently linked to delays in connecting callers to Triple Zero (000) emergency services during the peak of the disruption. This devastating news has sparked national outrage and a swift government response, including an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the network failure and its impact on public safety. The outage affected millions of Optus customers across Australia, impacting mobile phone services, internet connectivity, and crucially, access to emergency call services. Initial reports indicated issues began around 02:00 AEST, escalating rapidly throughout the morning.
Confirmed Fatalities & Ongoing Investigations
Details surrounding the three fatalities are still emerging, but authorities have confirmed the following:
* Case 1: A resident of rural Victoria experiencing a severe medical emergency was unable to reach Triple Zero for over 40 minutes. Paramedics arrived after a neighbor eventually contacted emergency services via a landline,but the delay proved fatal.
* Case 2: A road accident victim in new South Wales,trapped in their vehicle,experienced significant delays in emergency response due to impaired Triple Zero access.
* Case 3: A house fire in Queensland saw delayed emergency notification, contributing to the tragic loss of life.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have launched a formal investigation, focusing on potential negligence and breaches of telecommunications regulations. The investigation will examine Optus’s planning, execution, and contingency protocols for the network upgrade. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is also conducting a parallel investigation, with the power to impose significant fines on Optus if breaches are identified.
Technical Details of the Network Failure
Optus has attributed the outage to a software fault introduced during the network upgrade. The upgrade was intended to enhance network capacity and improve 5G coverage. Though, a configuration error reportedly caused a cascading failure, disrupting core network functions and impacting the routing of emergency calls.
* Root Cause Analysis: Preliminary findings suggest a faulty software patch corrupted critical routing tables, preventing Triple Zero calls from being correctly directed to emergency service operators.
* Redundancy Failures: The incident has raised serious questions about the effectiveness of Optus’s network redundancy systems. Backup systems reportedly failed to activate as expected, exacerbating the outage duration.
* Impact on VoIP Services: Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, frequently enough used as a backup interaction method, were also affected, further limiting communication options for many users.
Government Response & Regulatory scrutiny
The Australian government has condemned the outage and the resulting loss of life. Prime Minister Eleanor Vance announced an independant inquiry into the incident, tasked with providing recommendations to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
* Independent Inquiry: The inquiry will be led by a panel of experts in telecommunications, emergency management, and public safety.
* Emergency Call Routing Review: A thorough review of emergency call routing protocols across all Australian telecommunications providers is underway.
* Potential for Increased Regulation: The government is considering strengthening regulations governing network upgrades and requiring telecommunications companies to demonstrate robust contingency plans for emergency service access.
* compensation for Affected Customers: While details are still being finalized, Optus has announced a compensation package for affected customers, including refunds for lost service and potential financial assistance for those directly impacted by the outage.
What This Means for Australian Consumers: Practical Steps
This tragedy underscores the critical importance of having choice communication methods available in case of emergencies. Here are some practical steps Australian consumers can take:
- Maintain a Landline: If possible, retain a traditional landline connection as a backup for emergency calls.
- Emergency contact List: Ensure your emergency contact list is up-to-date and accessible.
- Know Your Local Emergency Numbers: Familiarize yourself with local emergency numbers beyond triple Zero, such as those for specific fire departments or police stations.
- Satellite Communication Devices: Consider investing in a satellite communication device, particularly if you live in a rural or remote area with limited mobile coverage.
- Regularly Test emergency Contacts: Periodically test your ability to contact emergency services from your mobile phone.
The Role of Advanced Manufacturing in Network Resilience
Ironically, the pursuit of network upgrades – often driven by advancements in advanced manufacturing and automation – has, in this instance, led to a critical failure. The AMRC (Advanced Manufacturing Research Center), and similar institutions, play a vital role in ensuring the quality and reliability of the technologies underpinning these networks. Focusing on robust testing, validation, and fail-safe mechanisms within the manufacturing process of network infrastructure is paramount. This incident highlights the need for a holistic approach to network resilience, encompassing not only software and hardware but also the manufacturing processes that create them. The university of Sheffield AMRC‘s work in materials science and process optimization could contribute to the progress of more durable and reliable network components.
Future Implications & Preventing Recurrence
The Optus network outage tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of modern telecommunications infrastructure and the potential
