The Australian government accused the Telecommunications Company Optus on Saturday of having “abandoned the Australians”, after the death of three people during a failure of the network that interrupted access to emergency services. The breakdown on Thursday night affected 600 people in three regions and lasted at least 10 hours.
A 6-week baby and a 68-year-old woman died in Australia-Maridional due to collapse, police said. Another death was reported in Australia-Western, according to local media.
An open investigation
The Minister of Communications, Anika Wells, said on Saturday that the telecommunications company had “retired to the Australians when they needed it most, and that is not acceptable.”
“Optus and all telecommunications providers have obligations under the Australian law to guarantee emergency services calls.” Wells said that a survey conducted by the Communications Regulatory Organization was underway.
The telecommunications operator could face fines and other legal sanctions. Optus was sentenced to a fine of $ 12 million of Australia (6.7 million euros) after a breakdown that interrupted its mobile systems and the Internet for almost 12 hours in 2023.
Source: BFM TV
