A significant outage at Optus has left over 14,000 customers unable to make emergency calls to triple zero, marking the fourth such incident in recent months. This disruption, which primarily affects residents in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula areas southeast of Melbourne, is attributed to a break in aerial fibre lines.
The telecommunications provider has stated that customers can only reach emergency services if they are in the coverage area of another mobile network or can connect via WiFi. The company is currently investigating the root cause of this latest failure.
Previous Outages and Their Impact
This outage follows a troubling pattern for Optus, as it is the fourth major instance in a short period that has impeded access to emergency services. A previous outage occurred on September 18, 2025, when a scheduled firewall upgrade in South Australia led to significant communication disruptions. This incident was linked to the tragic deaths of three Australians, with Optus CEO Stephen Rue attributing the fault to human error. During that event, approximately 600 calls to emergency services were blocked.
These repeated failures have sparked frustration among customers and raised serious concerns about the reliability of Optus’s service, particularly in critical situations where timely access to emergency services is essential. The company’s handling of these outages will likely face scrutiny as customers demand accountability and improved service reliability.
The impact of these outages extends beyond inconvenience; they can have dire consequences during emergencies. As Optus works to address the underlying issues, many customers are seeking reassurance that their ability to contact emergency services will not be compromised in the future.
The ongoing situation is a stark reminder of the importance of reliable communication networks, especially in a country where emergency services play a crucial role in public safety.
