Telstra outage explained: What went wrong and what to do when your network drops out
Key takeaways
- A software glitch reset a GPS timer, which caused the clocks that synchronise Telstra's mobile network to fall out of sync, resulting in Wednesday's 12-hour nationwide outage.
- Telstra CEO Vicki Brady has apologised, saying the telco let Australians down. More than 604 people were unable to reach triple zero, though Brady says it's too early to talk about compensation.
- If you're unable to reach triple zero during an outage, try another device, a landline or Wi-Fi calling if you have access to one of these options.
If your phone dropped to "SOS only" on Wednesday morning, you weren't alone.
Telstra CEO Vicki Brady cut short an overseas holiday and spoke to the media on Friday.
She apologised for the nationwide outage, which affected mobile calls and data, and said Telstra had let Australians down.
What caused the Telstra outage?
Telstra said a software glitch reset a GPS timer, knocking the clocks that synchronise its mobile network out of step.
Mobile networks rely on precise timing to pass calls and data between towers, so when those clocks disagreed, errors cascaded across the country from about 4:30am on Wednesday.
Brady said the fault came down to faulty data centre equipment rather than human error, and there was no evidence that earlier job cuts contributed to the incident.
"I understand how much Australians rely on us to keep in touch, to work and stay safe. I also understand the broader impact on the community when services go down, from things like payments to transport," Brady said to the media, according to ABC News.
"We understand what caused the issue, and we will complete our investigation into the actions needed to prevent it from happening again."
What can you do in an outage like this one?
- If you need triple zero and your call won't connect, try another device, a landline or Wi-Fi calling if you have access to them.
- Someone nearby on the Optus or Vodafone network may also be able to call for you. If you can, you could also head to a nearby store and quickly pick up a new SIM. Don't make test calls to triple zero. Only call if there's a genuine emergency.
- For everything else, restart your phone or switch aeroplane mode on and off once your telco says services have been restored. Your phone won't always reconnect automatically.
- If you want to be better prepared for a scenario like this in future, consider splitting your household across two networks, so one outage doesn't take every phone in the house offline.
- You could even consider a cheap Pay As You Go (PAYG) plan that lasts 365 days. Only amaysim and ALDI Mobile offer these, but they can be a handy way to keep an alternate number active for emergencies.
Can you get compensation from Telstra?
Brady said it's too early to talk about compensation while the investigation is underway.
You can still ask.
Contact Telstra and request a refund or credit for the time you had no service.
If you're not happy with the response, you can lodge a free complaint with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
What was the impact of the Telstra outage?
The fallout went well beyond missed calls.
More than 604 people were unable to reach emergency services across Wednesday and Thursday, after a secondary fault continued affecting some triple-zero calls even after the main outage was fixed.
Of those cases, 170 were referred to police for welfare checks.
Communications Minister Anika Wells confirmed triple-zero services have now been fully restored, while the Australian Communications and Media Authority will run a full investigation.
Regional trains were also brought to a halt, payment terminals stopped working, and providers using the Telstra network, including Boost Mobile, Belong, Everyday Mobile, Tangerine and ALDI Mobile, were also affected.
Sources
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