Key facts
- Telstra's national outage has led to a secondary issue affecting triple-zero emergency calls.
- Regional train services in Victoria remain suspended due to the telecommunications disruption.
- Telstra reported a 90% reduction in the triple-zero issue by Thursday morning, but full resolution is demanded.
- A software defect causing a 'GPS node' reset was identified as the cause of Wednesday's outage.
- Investigations into the outages and potential penalties are planned.
- Telstra conducted welfare checks on individuals who attempted to call triple zero during the incident.
Telstra customers continued to face disruptions on Thursday morning, with a secondary issue stemming from Wednesday's national outage impacting the ability to call triple zero. Some individuals attempting to reach the emergency hotline received error messages, and their phones attempted to connect to alternative networks. Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells acknowledged that while largely resolved, residual problems persisted, with some calls going directly to message bank. Telstra reported a 90% reduction in the occurrence of this secondary issue by 6:30 am, though Minister for Industry Tim Ayres emphasized that 100% resolution is the only acceptable outcome.
The telecommunications giant's ongoing problems have also led to the continued suspension of all trains on Victoria's regional rail network, V/Line, affecting morning peak travel. Telstra attributed Wednesday's initial widespread outage to a software defect that caused a 'GPS node' to reset, altering time synchronization across its network. The company conducted over 300 welfare checks on individuals who attempted to dial triple zero during the incident, with six customers requiring and receiving immediate assistance. Telstra's CEO Michael Ackland suggested that some calls may have been made to test the service during the outage, urging customers not to do so. Opposition Communications Spokesperson Sarah Henderson defended her decision to call triple zero during the outage as a means of holding the government accountable.
Investigations into the series of outages are planned, with Minister Ayres stating that communications and digital infrastructure are vital to the economy and operators have responsibilities to ensure reliability. Recent years have seen increased scrutiny on telcos following major disruptions, including an Optus outage in September 2025 linked to two deaths and intermittent issues for Vodafone customers in June. New regulations implemented in March require telcos to provide detailed information on outages, including their cause and duration.