Telstra Penalised for Emergency Call Service Disruption

Telstra has been penalised by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for disrupting the emergency call relay service, particularly affecting individuals with hearing and speech impairments. The investigation revealed that the 106 emergency call service number was disabled for over 12 hours due to a server migration error in July 2024. ACMA member Samantha Yorke emphasized the severity of such disruptions, highlighting the potential harm it could cause if someone in need of emergency assistance was unable to connect. Fortunately, no emergencies were reported during the outage period.

As part of the enforcement measures, Telstra has agreed to undergo an independent review of its change management processes and operational arrangements supporting the 106 emergency call service. The company will implement recommendations from the review, provide staff training, and report progress to the ACMA. Additionally, Telstra has paid a penalty of $18,780 for the incident.

This penalty follows similar actions taken by the ACMA against telecommunication companies for breaching emergency call rules. In December 2024, Telstra faced a $3 million penalty for disruptions to its Triple Zero call centre, while Optus was fined $12 million in November 2024 for a network outage affecting emergency call services in November 2023.

Ensuring compliance with emergency call regulations and safeguarding the reliability of emergency services remains a top priority for the ACMA in the current compliance cycle. For further details, please contact ACMA Media at 0438 375 776 or [email protected].