Optus Network Outage: 2023 Cause, Compensation, CEO Resignation

Few things disrupt daily life quite like a nationwide network outage. When millions of Australians woke up on 8 November 2023 to find their Optus phones, internet and even triple-0 emergency calls completely dead, it became clear this was no ordinary glitch. A single human error during a routine software upgrade cascaded into a 14-hour blackout that would cost a CEO her job and expose critical gaps in telecom redundancy.

Duration: 14 hours (4:05 AM – 6:00 PM AEDT, 8 Nov 2023) ·
Affected services: Mobile, broadband, fixed-line, triple-0 calls ·
Compensation paid: AUD 481,000 ·
Cause: Human error during a routine software upgrade

What was the Optus outage?

The Optus network outage of 8 November 2023 was a nationwide telecommunications failure that crippled mobile, broadband, fixed-line, and emergency call services for over 10 million Australians. The blackout lasted approximately 14 hours, from 4:05 AM to around 6:00 PM AEDT, affecting both retail customers and nearly 400,000 business accounts. The Department of Infrastructure Review confirmed the outage was caused by human error during a routine network upgrade.

Timeline of the 14-hour blackout

• 4:05 AM AEDT, 8 Nov 2023: Optus network begins to fail after preset safety limits on routers are exceeded. Connectivity lost across all services (ACMA Investigation Report).
• Early morning: Customers and emergency services unable to make triple-0 calls. Optus fails to publicly confirm the triple-0 disruption until 12:55 PM (Department of Infrastructure Review).
• Throughout the day: Engineers identify the root cause — routing changes from an alternate Singtel peering router propagated during a software upgrade, causing routers to self-isolate.
• ~6:00 PM AEDT: Services gradually restored after 14 hours.

Root cause: human error during a software upgrade

The Department of Infrastructure Review states that during a software upgrade, Optus received routing changes from an alternate Singtel peering router. Those changes propagated through multiple layers of the IP core network, exceeding preset safety limits on a significant number of routers. The routers automatically self-isolated to protect themselves, severing connectivity across Optus’s entire network. The safety limits were default settings supplied by the global equipment vendor, not custom configured for Australian conditions.

How did the Optus outage affect triple-0 calls?

The outage completely disabled the ability for Optus customers to make triple-0 emergency calls. The Department of Infrastructure Review found that Optus’s systems could not camp customers onto other carriers’ networks during the blackout — a design failure that had serious consequences.

Why emergency calls were disrupted

Australian telecommunications regulations require providers to ensure triple-0 calls can be made even during network failures. However, the review found Optus’s emergency call routing depended on the same core network that collapsed. When the routers self-isolated, the infrastructure needed to divert calls to Telstra’s or other networks was inaccessible. The ACMA Investigation Report later found Optus Mobile contravened subsection 148(1) of the TCPSS Act on 4,560 occasions, and Optus Networks on 113 occasions, for failing to meet emergency call obligations.

The tragedy linked to the outage

Reports emerged of a 45-year-old woman in Queensland who died after she could not call triple-0 during the blackout. Her family stated she suffered a heart attack and Ambulance services were not contacted until hours later. The exact number of customers who experienced triple-0 delays remains unclear, as noted in the Department of Infrastructure Review.

“It is unacceptable that Optus customers, including those in emergencies, were unable to contact triple-0 during the outage,” said former Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin in a statement following the incident.

Did Optus offer compensation for the outage?

Yes, Optus issued an apology and announced customer remediation measures after the outage. However, the total compensation paid — AUD 481,000 — drew sharp criticism from consumer groups and the government given the scale of the disruption.

How much was paid in total

The Department of Infrastructure Review and multiple media reports confirmed Optus paid AUD 481,000 in total compensation. With over 10 million customers and nearly 500,000 businesses affected, the per-customer amount was minimal. The Australian government called the compensation inadequate, given the severity of the triple-0 disruption and the 14-hour service loss.

How customers could claim

Optus said affected customers would receive automatic bill credits or could apply for compensation through its support channels. The full breakdown of how compensation was distributed per customer remains unclear, as reported by ABC News. The company did not disclose the exact formula used to calculate individual payments.

“Optus paid just AUD 481,000 in compensation for the day-long outage, a figure dwarfed by the financial and reputational damage caused.”

What is the Optus scandal in Australia?

The term “Optus scandal” can refer to two distinct incidents: the 2023 network outage and the 2022 data breach. It is important to distinguish between them.

The 2022 data breach

In September 2022, Optus suffered a cyberattack that exposed the personal data of up to 10 million customers, including names, dates of birth, email addresses, and passport numbers. The ACMA and other regulators investigated Optus’s data security practices.

Distinction from the network outage

The 2023 network outage was caused by human error during a software upgrade, not a cyberattack. The Department of Infrastructure Review confirmed there was no evidence of external malicious activity. The two events are unrelated in cause but both damaged Optus’s reputation.

Did Optus CEO resign after network outage?

Yes, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin resigned as CEO of Optus on 20 November 2023, twelve days after the nationwide outage.

Kelly Bayer Rosmarin’s resignation

The CEO faced intense public and political pressure following the blackout, particularly after it emerged that triple-0 calls were disrupted. The ABC News reported she resigned effective immediately, stating that the company needed a fresh start. The board accepted her resignation.

Fallout and board changes

An interim CEO was appointed. The government review and ACMA investigation continued, with potential enforcement actions pending. The ACMA Investigation Report documented 4,673 breaches of the TCPSS Act related to the outage.

“I have come to the conclusion that my resignation is in the best interest of Optus moving forward,” Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said in her resignation statement.

How can I check Optus network status or report an outage?

To check if there is an Optus network outage in your area or to report a problem, use the official tools and third-party monitors listed below.

Using the Optus network status page

The official Optus service status page at optus.com.au/living-network/service-status shows real-time outage information. You can search by postcode or suburb to see if there are known issues in your area.

Using third-party sites like Downdetector

Downdetector Australia aggregates user reports of Optus outages. This can help confirm if a problem is widespread or isolated to your location.

How to report an Optus internet outage

Follow these steps to report an Optus internet outage:

1. Check the Optus service status page first.
2. Use the My Optus App to access support and log a fault.
3. Contact Optus customer support via live chat or phone (if mobile service is available) at 133 937.
4. For broadband issues, restart your modem first — the outage may be local.
5. If you cannot reach Optus, follow the provider’s social media accounts (@Optus) for updates.

What country owns Optus?

Optus is owned by Singtel (Singapore Telecommunications Limited), a Singapore-based telecommunications company. Singtel is headquartered in Singapore and is one of the largest telecom operators in Asia. Optus itself is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and operates as a subsidiary of the Singtel Group.

Ownership structure

Singtel is a publicly traded company on the Singapore Exchange. Optus has been part of the Singtel group since 2001. The ownership structure means that decisions about network investment and infrastructure are influenced by a Singapore-based parent company.

The fallout from the Optus outage led to Kelly Bayer Rosmarins exit, as the CEO resigned amid the controversy.

Frequently asked questions