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The outage left around 14,000 customers unable to contact emergency services
Optus has suffered yet another network outage, this time impacting around 14,000 customers in southeast Melbourne.
The outage, which took place on Wednesday, was reportedly caused by an “aerial fibre break” caused by thieves stealing copper from from the local underground access chambers.
“We do have that photo evidence and it’s clear that there had been a cut made,” Optus spokesperson Jane McNamara told ABC Radio Melbourne. “We know copper has been removed from the pit and we have contacted police.”
The fibre cut left affected customers without mobile service, including to emergency services, for a number of hours.
“Customers will only be able to call emergency services if they are within coverage of another mobile network or are able to call via WiFi,” warned the company on its website.
Full services have since been restored, with emergency services confirming that they are unaware of any failed emergency calls during the outage
While this outage was not caused by Optus, it nonetheless comes at a sensitive time for the operator. The company has suffered multiple significant network outages this year, the most significant of which, in September, saw 631 people unable to connect to emergency services when needed. Four people are known to have died as a result.
The repeated network outages have saw some politicians calling for a review of Optus’s licence.
“There must be an urgent review of Optus’ licence. They are clearly not capable of providing this essential service and keeping Australians safe,” said Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, the Greens spokesperson for communications and Chair of the Senate Inquiry into the emergency services outage.
So far, the government has not moved to formally review Optus’s licence, but has announced plans to create an independent body, the ‘Triple Zero Custodian’ to oversee Australia’s emergency call services.
Steeper fines are also expected to be enforced.
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