Millions of customers affected as Australia’s second-largest mobile network experiences major outage

  • Optus, Australia’s second-largest mobile network, hit by large-scale outage
  • Outage potentially impacting more than 10 million customers
  • Second major incident at Optus in 14 months
  • Government asks for information about the outage and restoration timeline
  • Businesses like Ramsay Health Care and Melbourne’s rail system affected
  • Optus has 10.4 million mobile customers

Australia’s second-largest mobile network, Optus, owned by Singapore Telecommunications, has been hit by a large-scale outage potentially impacting over 10 million customers. The outage, the second major incident at Optus in 14 months, has caused disruptions for businesses such as Ramsay Health Care and Melbourne’s rail system. The government has requested information from Optus regarding the outage and restoration timeline. With 10.4 million mobile customers, Optus is working to resolve the issue and restore services as soon as possible.

Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides factual information about the outage experienced by Optus, including the number of customers potentially impacted, the businesses affected, and the response from the Australian government. It also mentions a previous cyber attack incident at Optus. However, the article lacks specific details about the cause of the outage and the extent of the impact on hospitals and the rail system. Overall, the article provides mostly factual information but could benefit from more in-depth reporting.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about the outage at Optus and its impact on customers, including hospitals and Melbourne’s rail system. It mentions a previous cyber attack incident and the government’s response. However, it lacks in-depth analysis, scientific rigor, and actionable insights.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: The outage at Optus could have financial implications for Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), the parent company of Optus. It may also impact other telecommunication companies in Australia, such as Telstra and TPG Telecom, as customers affected by the outage may seek alternative services.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Rating Justification: The article describes an outage at Optus, which is a significant event for the telecommunications industry in Australia. However, it does not mention any extreme event or provide information about the impact rating of such an event.
Public Companies: Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), Ramsay Health Care (Ramsay), Telstra (ASX:TLS), TPG Telecom (TPM.AX)
Key People: Michelle Rowland (Minister for Communications)


Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com