Optus is reviewing its network outage and suggests new rules for telcos to improve emergency services, including triple-zero.

Telcos, or telecommunications companies, will now be required to establish a system to manage Australia's emergency triple-zero service. This comes as part of a series of reforms recommended by a recent review led by Richard Bean, a former deputy chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority. These changes were prompted by a major outage that occurred last November, affecting approximately 10 million customers of Optus, one of the country's largest telecommunications providers.

One of the key recommendations from the Bean report is for telcos to share real-time network information during outages. This was a crucial issue during the Optus outage, as nearly 2,700 individuals were unable to connect to the triple-zero line when they needed it most. The triple-zero service is meant to be available at all times for Australians, and this incident highlighted the need for a more reliable and efficient system.

In addition, the report suggests the appointment of a dedicated "triple zero custodian" within each telco, whose sole responsibility would be to ensure the proper functioning of the emergency service. This would help prevent similar outages from occurring in the future and ensure that Australians can have confidence in their telecommunications services.

Michelle Rowland, the Communications Minister, has announced that the federal government will be implementing all 18 recommendations from the Bean report. She emphasized the importance of having a robust and reliable emergency service, especially when it comes to the triple-zero line. The recent outages experienced by Optus and Telstra have exposed vulnerabilities in the system and these changes aim to address those issues.

Another significant recommendation from the report is for telcos to share real-time network information during outages. This would allow emergency services and authorities to have a better understanding of the situation and respond accordingly. Optus, in response to the outage, has already made changes to their systems to prevent such incidents from happening again. This includes reconfiguring their routers and improving their processes for faster restoration of the network.

Optus acting CEO, Michael Venter, also mentioned that the company invests nearly $1 billion annually in network initiatives, maintenance, and upgrades. This shows their commitment to providing a reliable and efficient service to their customers. With the implementation of the recommendations from the Bean report, it is hoped that incidents like the Optus outage can be avoided in the future, ensuring a more reliable emergency service for all Australians.

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