The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has sued Optus in the Federal Court over a 2025 network outage that disrupted Triple Zero emergency calls, citing 1,005 contraventions and potential penalties of up to $250,000 per instance.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has taken Optus to court over a 2025 network outage that left hundreds unable to access emergency services, with the regulator alleging the telco breached legal obligations more than 1,000 times. The lawsuit centers on a 14-hour failure in September 2025 that caused a large proportion of Triple Zero calls to fail, according to a review commissioned by Optus. ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin emphasized that access to emergency services is a fundamental legal obligation,
while Optus declined to comment on the proceedings but reiterated its focus on improving network resilience.
Court Action Over 2025 Triple Zero Outage
ACMA initiated legal proceedings against Optus Mobile Pty Limited, accusing the telco of failing to ensure emergency calls reached their destinations during a 14-hour network outage in September 2025. The regulator alleges Optus breached two legal obligations on 1,005 occasions, including failing to provide access to the emergency call service and ensuring calls were carried to the correct termination point. The maximum penalty for each contravention is $250,000, with ACMA seeking declarations and pecuniary penalties from the court. The outage, which occurred in September, was linked to two deaths and saw 605 Triple Zero calls attempted, with a large proportion failing, according to a report by Kerry Schott, a business and public service executive commissioned by Optus.
Previous Outage and Regulatory History
This is not the first time ACMA has targeted Optus over emergency call failures. In 2023, an investigation found the telco failed in the management of its network
and failed to follow up on the safety and wellbeing of more than 360 customers
after an outage. The regulator’s enforcement action led to Singtel Optus subsidiaries, including Optus Mobile, paying $12 million in infringement notice penalties. ACMA’s current lawsuit cites the 2023 incident as a factor in its decision to pursue court action, with O’Loughlin noting that the ACMA will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action where alleged telco failures have jeopardised public access to the critical emergency call service.
Expert Reactions and Industry Implications
Telecommunications expert Mark Gregory, an RMIT University associate professor, welcomed ACMA’s action, stating that the penalties can range up to $250,000 per instance
and that the telecommunications industry has been 'put on notice.'
Gregory noted that the court action reflects the regulator’s taking its role seriously,
while also highlighting the broader implications for telcos. It's about time the penalties reflected the seriousness of what's happened,
he said.
ACMA’s legal move comes amid heightened scrutiny of telco accountability, following the introduction of new laws that established a Triple Zero Custodian and expanded the regulator’s powers. Optus was told it needed to overhaul its network operations which “clearly failed” and improve risk management and internal audit functions.
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