Tag: Optus
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Optus execs face grilling over triple-zero outage
Under-fire Optus executives have copped a parliamentary bashing for their response to a triple-zero outage linked to the deaths of three people. Chief executive Stephen Rue was in the firing line from coalition and crossbench senators for taking more than six hours to tell the communications minister and industry regulator about a massive increase in…
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More emergency calls fail in fresh Optus triple-zero outage
Optus has apologised for a second triple-zero outage in as many weeks, as local executives prepare for showdown talks with the embattled telco’s owners. The latest issue is linked to a mobile phone tower in NSW that affected 4500 users in the Dapto area on Sunday between 3am and 12.20pm. A review by the telco…
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Labor’s guilt in the Optus failure
The communications watchdog has opened a formal investigation into Optus after a 13-hour failure blocked about 600 triple-zero calls – now linked to three deaths. The government is furious, calling the failure “completely unacceptable”, and warning of “significant consequences”. But is it actually its fault too? Today, journalist and contributor to Crikey, Michael Sainsbury, on…
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Optus outrage: Review launched for telco failure linked to two SA deaths
The federal regulator, Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has launched an investigation into Thursday’s Optus outage, which is linked to four deaths, including two South Australians. SA Premier Peter Malinauskas spoke to Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells on Monday morning and said his government would work with the federal inquiry into the deaths that…
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How the Optus outage happened – and how to fix it
Four people have died after a botched Optus network upgrade on Thursday prevented around 600 emergency calls to triple zero across South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. South Australian police have confirmed the deaths linked to the outage – which Optus only revealed to the public, emergency services and state/territory leaders on Friday…
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Outage outrage: Optus leader’s future in question
Optus’s boss has staked his leadership on avoiding another triple-zero outage disaster, as the prime minister labels the fatal event “completely unacceptable” amid questions about offshore call centres. As the fallout continues from the provider’s catastrophic outage – linked to four deaths – chief executive Stephen Rue offered a guarantee Optus would not let a…
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Just a month until 3G shuts down, but for some that means losing triple-zero coverage
Telstra is due to switch off the ageing network on August 31, having extended its original June closure deadline, while Optus will shutdown from September. But there are still 102,000 mobile phones across the nation that are not compatible with 4G, according to latest industry figures provided to the government. These devices – often bought…
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Telstra and Optus end Google deals after watchdog barks
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) revealed on Tuesday Google had struck deals with Telstra and Optus, which had been in place since at least 2017. Under the agreements, the telecommunications firms ensured Google was the default search engine on all Android phones they sold, in exchange for a share of Google’s advertising revenue.…
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Optus appoints NBN veteran as new CEO
Stephen Rue will become Optus CEO in November after six years as the head of Australia’s National Broadband Network and four years as its chief financial officer. During his time with network, he oversaw a broadband rollout to more than eight million homes and businesses across the nation. “I’m honoured and excited to be given…
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Better late than never, but Australia’s Triple Zero ready for any future issues
Nearly one in three Australians were left without phone and internet services when the telco giant experienced a nationwide outage in November. During the 14-hour event, thousands of emergency calls made to the emergency line triple zero were also unable to go through, putting lives at risk. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has announced the federal…