The fallout from Optus’ latest crisis is growing, with regulators, politicians, and industry experts calling for sweeping change after a network upgrade left emergency services unreachable for hours and has been linked to three deaths. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has now opened a formal investigation, as public confidence in the telco continues to erode.
A Failure with Fatal Consequences
The outage began late on Wednesday, 17 September, during a routine network upgrade. South Australia, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory were the hardest hit. Over 600 calls to triple-0 failed across a 13-hour window. By the time Optus confirmed the scale of the problem, lives had already been lost.
Two customers had alerted the company’s call centre early Thursday about problems contacting emergency services. But ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin revealed the regulator was not told of the full details until late Friday — after media pressure forced a press conference.
“It wasn’t until the Friday, and very late in the day before the press conference, when we were informed by the CEO that there were 624 calls in play and of the deaths,” O’Loughlin said. “As part of our investigation we also need to look at just what information they need to provide to all of us when they can get it to us — because it was just too late.”
Government Anger Boils Over
Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells made it clear the government intends to hold Optus accountable.
“People have a right to be livid about what has happened here,” Wells said. “Right now, our focus is getting to the bottom of what went wrong, before we determine what happens next, but Optus will be held to account.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the failure as “completely unacceptable,” adding that Optus and other carriers have obligations to maintain emergency services. “Clearly they haven’t fulfilled the obligations that they have,” he said.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas was equally blunt. “We understand that things go wrong. There are technical failures that occur from time to time. Governments themselves aren’t immune from that. It’s the way you handle them that often really matters, and at the very least, there’s been a fundamental and, in many respects, an inexcusable failure of communications from Optus,” he told the ABC.
A Troubled History of Outages
This is not the first time Optus has faced scrutiny over its emergency call handling. In 2023, an outage cut services for about 10 million Australians. More than 2,100 people were unable to reach triple-0, and Optus failed to conduct 369 mandated welfare checks on those who tried. That incident cost the company more than $12 million in fines and forced the resignation of its then-CEO.
Now, with another deadly failure, regulators are under pressure to impose tougher penalties.
ACMA’s Investigation and Legal Framework
O’Loughlin confirmed that ACMA’s probe will focus on compliance with the Emergency Call Services Determination, a law requiring carriers to ensure all emergency calls connect to the national call centre.
“The ACMA’s investigation will look at a number of matters, but firstly, the requirements and obligations under what’s the fundamental piece of legislation: Emergency Call Services Determination,” she said. “What that requires is that carriers have networks and facilities in place to provide emergency call services and that every person that goes to use emergency call services will be connected to an emergency call services centre.”
While criminal charges are not possible under current law, significant civil penalties are likely.
Calls for Stronger Oversight
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young argued the problem is deeper than fines. “For too long these big telco companies have relied on self-regulation rather than direct regulation, and it’s now costing people’s lives. This is one of the most basic essential services. Safety and access to the emergency service when you need them. Our communication devices are now essential … How many more strikes does this company need?”
Independent telecommunications analyst Paul Budde echoed the need for structural reform. “Optus is definitely getting a blow — their brand is damaged, their trust is damaged. But people don’t have a lot of choice. They’re on the system; they need communication. We also, as a country, need Optus. It’s not that we say we can only deal with Telstra — that’s not what we want to do. It is important that Optus get its act together, and if it happens again, we need to have a different system in place to cope with the problems we are seeing happening in social, economic and life-loss situations.”
Underlying Problems May Take Years to Fix
Budde also warned that systemic underinvestment in Optus’ network could take years to reverse. “It could well take Optus several years to fix the underlying problem — get rid of the underinvestment that took place in the network. In other words, we can’t wait that long for that to happen. We have to start looking at an alternative for how we can ensure that the triple-0 system is working in Australia, and perhaps we should take it away from the telcos, create an independent organisation who manages this system — still of course using the Telstra, Optus and Vodafone infrastructure.”
Minister Wells has indicated the government is considering such an independent model.
What This Means for Consumers
For everyday Australians, the latest outage underscores a harsh reality: when a telco fails, the consequences are not just inconvenient — they can be fatal. With the regulator investigating, the government considering reforms, and public trust shaken, the question now is whether Optus can recover credibility.
Customers cannot simply switch away from Optus without challenges. Many rely on bundled services, or live in areas where Telstra and Vodafone coverage is limited. This lack of competition makes structural reform more pressing.
Practical steps consumers can take include:
- Having backup options such as a prepaid SIM from another provider for emergency use.
- Using VoIP emergency access services where available, ensuring households have alternatives if mobile or fixed lines fail.
- Staying informed through government alerts and monitoring ACMA’s findings to understand risks.
But responsibility ultimately lies with the telco. Ensuring emergency services work is not optional. It is the foundation of public trust.
The Road Ahead
As ACMA’s investigation unfolds, Optus faces not only regulatory penalties but also a long road to regaining public confidence. For the federal government, the crisis has created urgency around reforming how Australia safeguards its most essential service: access to emergency help when lives are at stake.
What emerges from this moment could reshape how telecommunications companies operate, how they are overseen, and how Australians stay connected in their most vulnerable moments.
The pressure is on Optus to prove it can fix its network and restore faith. The pressure is also on government to ensure Australians never again find themselves unable to call for help when it matters most.
