Optus executives are set to detail wide-ranging cultural and operational changes as a parliamentary inquiry examines the fallout from last year’s deadly triple-zero outage.
The network failure on September 18 lasted almost 14 hours and disrupted hundreds of triple-zero calls across four states and territories. The outage has been linked to two deaths after emergency calls failed to connect.
Inquiry hearing in Canberra
A public hearing in Canberra on Thursday will revisit the incident and scrutinise the steps taken since, with senior leaders expected to provide evidence on what has changed in the telco’s systems and internal decision-making.
Independent reviewer Kerry Schott is scheduled to give evidence first. Her review identified gaps in Optus’ processes, accountability structures, escalation pathways and information protocols.
Twenty-one recommendations accepted
Schott delivered 21 recommendations after finding weaknesses in how issues were identified, communicated and escalated during the outage. Optus’ board accepted all recommendations and said it would move quickly to implement them.
Optus leadership, including chief executive Stephen Rue, is expected to outline reforms introduced since the outage, including technical work aimed at ensuring devices can access emergency services during major disruptions, alongside changes to staffing, training and company culture.
Singtel representative to appear
Optus is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based telecommunications group Singtel, which will also have a representative appear at the inquiry.
Complaints rose after the outage
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman has reported an increase in mobile complaints after the outage, with complaints rising 3.6% between October and December to more than 14,000. More than 6,000 of those involved mobile services, according to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
Apple Australia and Google Australia are also expected to appear, along with NSW Ambulance and the National Emergency Management Agency, as the inquiry examines how emergency calling functions across devices, networks and public agencies.
Optus accepts accountability
In a submission to the inquiry last November, Optus said it accepted accountability for its failures, emphasising that uninterrupted access to emergency calls is fundamental to public safety and community confidence.
The company also expressed its deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those who died, apologising to everyone who sought help that day but could not access triple-zero services.
