A widespread Telstra outage on Thursday caused significant disruption to mobile services and emergency calls, with reports of triple zero calls failing to connect. The network failure, which began around midday, affected customers across multiple states, leading to welfare checks by authorities.
Outage Details and Impact
Telstra confirmed the outage impacted its mobile network, leaving many users unable to make calls or access data. The company stated that triple zero calls were also affected, though some calls were rerouted through alternative networks. Emergency services reported an increase in welfare checks as concerned relatives and friends were unable to reach individuals.
According to Telstra, the outage was caused by a technical fault in its core network. Engineers worked to restore services, with partial restoration reported by late afternoon. The company apologized for the disruption and assured customers that investigations were ongoing.
Government and Emergency Response
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced it would investigate the incident. Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said the government was closely monitoring the situation and urged Telstra to prioritize restoring emergency call capabilities. “It is unacceptable for triple zero services to be disrupted,” Rowland stated.
Police in several states conducted welfare checks on vulnerable individuals who could not be reached. In New South Wales, officers visited homes of elderly residents after family members reported being unable to contact them.
Customer Frustration and Compensation
Customers took to social media to express frustration, with many reporting lost business and personal inconvenience. Telstra said it would consider compensation for affected customers on a case-by-case basis. The company also advised customers to use Wi-Fi calling or alternative providers for emergency calls during the disruption.
This outage follows a similar incident in 2023 that also raised concerns about network resilience. Analysts have called for greater investment in backup systems to prevent future failures.
