Optus Hit With $250M Legal Action
Synopsis
CMA alleges the telco breached emergency call rules more than 1,000 times during last year's nationwide outage.
Optus Triple Zero lawsuit has moved to Federal Court after Australia's communications regulator accuses nation's second-biggest telecoms group of legal failings over 18 September 2025 countrywide outage.
According to ACMA, this disruption caused a number of customers to be unable to reach the Triple Zero emergency service, alleging 2010 contraventions of telecommunications laws.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority says that Optus provided access to Triple Zero on 1005 occasions and it didn't transfer a further 1005 emergency calls to another carrier where its own service was disrupted.
Such claims have a maximum penalty on the nation's second-largest telecoms operator of AU$250k for each contravention, bringing its potential civil penalty total up to $502 million should the court agree.
Independent Review Shaped the Investigation
The lawsuit comes as a result of the Independent Review into the September 2025 Optus Network Outage, spearheaded by Dr. Kerry Schott AO, were released. The review found that the disruption happened while attempting a firewall update and caused a nationwide loss in access to the Optus mobile and broadband networks.
In the midst of the incident, 605 attempts to make contact with Triple Zero failed, as close to 75% didn't get through. This outage impacted customers in Australia's South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and some portions of Western Australia, putting a light on network reliability for the country's emergency services.
Network Resilience Remains Under Focus
Optus has expressed remorse for the occurrence as it has now incorporated all 21 recommendations provided by the Schott review. Additionally, the telecommunications provider added to its automated tests of its emergency call routing, has implemented a real-time monitoring system of Triple Zero connectivity and has reinforced its internal service and operational protocols. Furthermore, it has dedicated AU$1.4 million in an endeavor to better the resiliency and expand mobile reach to areas where coverage is weak.
Optus generated AU$8.35 billion in revenue for the year ended March31 ,2026, recording a profit of AU$2.36 billion for its operating segments and EA$550 million for its EBIT for the period.
Australia's mobile sector includes Telstra, Optus, and TPG Telecom, as network resilience is one of the more important issues affecting business enterprises, as well as government and emergency services departments and personnel.
The ACCC Communications Market Report 2024-25 details ongoing investment in the country's sector as mobile data usage and dependency on digital networks continue to soar.
Source: Information AGE
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
