The Australian Communications and Media Authority's (ACMA) decision to sue Optus over the September 2025 network outage is a necessary step to uphold public safety and enforce compliance with emergency call service regulations. The outage, which prevented approximately 600 Triple Zero calls from connecting, resulted in at least four confirmed deaths, highlighting the critical importance of reliable emergency services.
Optus' failure to ensure the successful delivery of emergency calls and to conduct welfare checks on individuals who attempted to make emergency calls during the outage demonstrates a disregard for public safety. These actions violated the Telecommunications (Emergency Call Service) Determination 2019 and the Telecommunications (Customer Communications for Outages) Industry Standard 2024, regulations designed to protect citizens in critical situations.
By holding Optus accountable, ACMA reinforces the expectation that telecommunications providers prioritize the reliability of emergency services. This legal action serves as a warning to other providers about the consequences of neglecting their obligations, thereby promoting a safer environment for all Australians.