These reforms come in response to the November 2023 Optus outage, which left many Australians unable to access emergency services.
Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP, outlined the new measures aimed at improving industry accountability and ensuring reliable access to the vital Triple Zero service.
“The Optus outage on 8 November 2023 posed a serious risk to public safety, which is why I have issued a direction to the Australian Communications and Media Authority to strengthen the rules on telcos to provide access to Triple Zero,” said Minister Rowland.
Implemented through a Ministerial direction, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will deliver a set of changes that will improve industry accountability and reinforce the strength of the critical service.
Minister Rowland has directed the ACMA to amend the enforceable rules to require mobile carriers to take all reasonable steps to ensure emergency calls can be carried on any available network during an outage.
“Triple Zero is a critical service that provides access to police, fire, and ambulance services. It is imperative that Australians have confidence that they can access these services in an emergency,” she emphasised.
This will ensure there is a requirement for carriers to confirm mobile phones are able to call Triple Zero on other mobile networks during outages, addressing the technical fault which resulted in many Optus customers being left unable to reach Triple Zero during the outage.
Importantly, providers will now be required to provide improved visibility of future outages for front line emergency service organisations.
The ACMA will also develop new requirements for industry to report to Government after major outages, including a plan to reduce the risk of similar outages occurring in future.
Telco providers will also have to identify where an end user’s mobile device is unable to access Triple Zero, to notify those customers, and refrain from supplying carriage services to those devices.
“These new requirements include obligations for industry to notify customers as soon as practicable if their mobile device is unable to access the emergency call service. This will save lives,” Minister Rowland added.
This change aims to protect the safety of end users, particularly when the remaining 3G networks are switched off from 28 October, and Australians with mobile devices that will be affected after switch off are being routinely contacted by their mobile network operator about the need to upgrade.
The additional obligations on carriers will also ensure handsets are tested to provide assurance that customers can make emergency calls.
The Government called for a post-incident review of the Optus outage with a particular focus on the impact on Triple Zero.
The Government has accepted all 18 of the review’s recommendations, including the four which will be implemented through these changes to the Triple Zero regulations.
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The Albanese Government is committed to ensuring Australians have access to emergency services through a reliable Triple Zero emergency call service and is continuing to work with industry to improve this vital service.
“The Optus outage review and subsequent consultation has involved close engagement with stakeholders including industry and consumer groups. I am thankful for the input from stakeholders to date and look forward to further engagement as these new requirements are developed and implemented,” concluded Minister Rowland.
The Government encourages all stakeholders to work constructively with the ACMA on the development of the new industry standards.
Adrianne Saplagio is a Content Producer at Comms Room, where she combines her passion for storytelling with her expertise in multimedia content creation. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for engaging audiences, Adrianne has been instrumental in crafting compelling narratives that resonate across various digital platforms.
