BREAKING: Optus CEO Confirms Human Error Caused Fatal Triple Zero Outage
Today’s Article is brought to you by Empower your podcasting vision with a suite of creative solutions at your fingertips.
This piece is freely available to read. Become a paid subscriber today and help keep Mencari News financially afloat so that we can continue to pay our writers for their insight and expertise.
Optus CEO Stephen Rue revealed Wednesday that human error during a network upgrade directly caused the September 18 triple zero failure that left four Australians dead when they couldn’t reach emergency services.
The telecommunications executive told reporters at the company’s Macquarie Park headquarters that technicians failed to follow established procedures during a firewall upgrade, leading to the catastrophic breakdown that prevented 480 customers from accessing emergency services during the outage.
“Our preliminary investigations have determined that on the first night of the upgrade, the steps taken on past successful upgrades of a similar nature were not followed,” Rue said. “The first step in the process was not followed.”
The admission marks the first detailed explanation of what caused Australia’s worst telecommunications emergency since Optus suffered a nationwide outage in November 2023.
Truth matters. Quality journalism costs.
Your subscription to Mencari directly funds the investigative reporting our democracy needs. For less than a coffee per week, you enable our journalists to uncover stories that powerful interests would rather keep hidden. There is no corporate influence involved. No compromises. Just honest journalism when we need it most.
Not ready to be paid subscribe, but appreciate the newsletter ? Grab us a beer or snag the exclusive ad spot at the top of next week's newsletter.
Systematic Process Breakdown
Rue outlined the standard four-step upgrade procedure that should have been implemented during the firewall maintenance. The process typically involves diverting calls away from the affected network section, locking equipment behind the firewall, safely upgrading the firewall, then unlocking and redirecting traffic back.
“On this occasion of the upgrade on September the 18th that caused the triple zero outage, the first step in the process was not followed,” Rue said, confirming the failure resulted from human error rather than technical malfunction.
The company has successfully completed similar upgrades multiple times previously using the established protocol, making the deviation particularly concerning for regulators and customers.
Emergency Services Access Compromised
Initial company data showed 631 customers initially failed to connect to triple zero during the outage, but subsequent investigation revealed varying outcomes for those affected calls.
Approximately 86 customers eventually reached emergency services through the Optus network, while another 65 successfully connected by transferring to alternative carriers such as Telstra or TPG through a process known as “camping on.”
“Our early internal investigations have therefore determined there were approximately 480 customers who did not get through to triple zero,” Rue said.
The company has implemented continuous monitoring of triple zero call volumes and failure rates across all states, operating 24 hours daily, seven days weekly. Officials also established a mandatory escalation process for any customer reports of triple zero failures through call centers.
Independent Review Announced
Optus Chairman John Arthur appointed Kerry Schott to head an independent investigation into the outage circumstances and company response procedures.
“The independent review will identify the causes and canvass the applicable processes, protocols and operations of this incident,” Rue said.
The review will examine triple zero call management within the Optus network, including monitoring and operational effectiveness related to the technical failure. Investigators will also assess company actions following the incident, including adherence to policies, procedures and legislative requirements.
Schott brings experience across infrastructure, energy and telecommunications sectors at both executive and board levels. The board committed to releasing the final report publicly.
Four Deaths Prompt Apologies
The September 18 outage resulted in four confirmed deaths, including one infant, when customers couldn’t reach emergency services during critical situations.
“There are no words that can express how sorry I am about the very sad loss of the lives of four people who could not reach emergency services in their time of need,” Rue said.
The CEO revealed he sought advice from South Australian and Western Australian police regarding appropriate engagement with affected families, but had not yet made direct contact with relatives of the deceased.
“I have asked them about the appropriateness and I’ve asked them to actually contact effectively the families as to any engagement with the company and me personally,” Rue said.
Political Pressure Mounts
Shadow Communications Minister Melissa McIntosh criticized both Optus and the federal government’s response to the crisis, questioning the adequacy of current oversight mechanisms.
“Four people have died, including a baby. Yet the priority of this minister is going to the UN,” McIntosh said, referring to Communications Minister Michelle Rowland’s attendance at United Nations meetings in New York.
McIntosh argued the Australian Communications and Media Authority should not investigate the incident because the regulator failed to immediately alert the minister when Optus reported the outage Thursday evening, as legally required.
“ACMA did not, apparently, alert the minister. The minister found out on Friday,” she said.
The opposition spokesperson called for enhanced oversight powers and questioned whether existing regulatory frameworks adequately protect emergency services access.
Offshore Operations Under Scrutiny
Questions emerged regarding the role of offshore technical teams in both the initial upgrade failure and subsequent customer service responses.
Rue confirmed the upgrade team included personnel based in Chennai, India, working alongside local technicians, with Nokia contractors involved in network operations.
“This is a process issue. This is a process breakdown, as I outlined,” Rue said when pressed about offshore involvement.
However, reports surfaced that some customers who contacted call centers about triple zero failures weren’t properly escalated to management, raising concerns about offshore staff understanding of Australia’s emergency services system importance.
“The point is that indications were made to people in call centres that there may have been a triple zero failure. That was not elevated,” Rue acknowledged.
Federal Court Penalty Pending
The press conference occurred hours before a Federal Court ruling on separate unconscionable conduct charges against Optus involving inappropriate sales practices targeting customers with intellectual disabilities between August 2019 and July 2023.
“That behaviour is totally and utterly unacceptable,” Rue said regarding the historical sales practices.
The CEO noted that addressing those issues represented one of his first priorities after joining the company, including reviewing sales processes, modifying incentive schemes and purchasing back problematic franchise stores.
Investment Questions Raised
Rue defended parent company Singtel’s investment levels amid questions about whether cost-cutting measures contributed to the outage.
“Singtel have invested $9.3 billion over the last five years in the company,” he said, citing recent 5G network upgrades across metropolitan areas.
The CEO emphasized the September 18 failure represented a process breakdown rather than an investment or staffing issue, maintaining that adequate resources existed to follow established procedures.
Network Accountability Emphasized
Throughout the press conference, Roe repeatedly stressed Optus’s ultimate responsibility for network operations regardless of contractor involvement or offshore arrangements.
“To be very clear, Optus is accountable for the operation of its network,” he said. “The accountability for that rests with Optus.”
The company continues monitoring network performance while awaiting results from both the independent review and pending regulatory investigations by ACMA and other authorities.
The triple zero failures represent the second major Optus network crisis in less than two years, following the November 2023 nationwide outage that disrupted services for millions of customers across Australia.
Sustaining Mencari Requires Your Support
Independent journalism costs money. Help us continue delivering in-depth investigations and unfiltered commentary on the world's real stories. Your financial contribution enables thorough investigative work and thoughtful analysis, all supported by a dedicated community committed to accuracy and transparency.
Subscribe today to unlock our full archive of investigative reporting and fearless analysis. Subscribing to independent media outlets represents more than just information consumption—it embodies a commitment to factual reporting.
As well as knowing you’re keeping Mencari (Australia) alive, you’ll also get:
Get breaking news AS IT HAPPENS - Gain instant access to our real-time coverage and analysis when major stories break, keeping you ahead of the curve
Unlock our COMPLETE content library - Enjoy unlimited access to every newsletter, podcast episode, and exclusive archive—all seamlessly available in your favorite podcast apps.
Join the conversation that matters - Be part of our vibrant community with full commenting privileges on all content, directly supporting The Evening Post (Australia)
Catch up on some of Mencari’s recent stories:
It only takes a minute to help us investigate fearlessly and expose lies and wrongdoing to hold power accountable. Thanks!