Optus apologises to customers after mobile, broadband outage

Several Optus customers have reported outages on mobile data and broadband across Australia. Users have taken to social media to express dismay.

There were complaints about a lack of service in Victoria and the ACT. Some customers were also unable to check their network status on the Optus website, where an error message popped up whenever they entered their postcodes.

“Optus appear to have a major outage effecting NBN, ADSL and Mobile across NSW,” one Twitter user wrote. Many reported outages on Tuesday night at about 9: 30 pm Australian eastern standard time.

The telecommunications company was quick to apologise to customers after its network’s G mobile data and home broadband failed. An Optus spokesperson said technicians are currently investigating the cause of the interruption, appreciating their customers’ understanding.

A spokesperson for the company has confirmed through iTWire that customers in NSW, Victoria and the ACT may have experienced interruptions in 4G mobile data and home broadband services. “All data services were restored at approximately 10.30pm the same night."

Interruptions lasted for approximately an hour. Voice services worked as normal.

Earlier this month, Telstra shut down its texting services after messages started misdirecting to random numbers in the wake of a national network meltdown. Eastwood and West Ryde customers were without landline and internet services after a cable was mistakenly cut last month.

By that time, a Telstra spokesman explained the need to replace a major cable. The work, the spokesperson said, was taking some time because of its location and the complexity, adding it was frustrating for them and for customers that such situations were avoidable.

Meanwhile, broadband internet provider TPG declared it would launch its high-speed mobile phone network in 2018. There are reports Optus intends to build a new telecommunications centre with a phone tower at a Devon Meadows site. Optus spokesperson Michelle Pacey said the installation of a new tower seeks to address coverage issues across the Devon Meadows region and South Gippsland.

Pacey said that aside from the tower at 1870 South Gippsland Highway, the company is in the initial stages of planning a tower in Clyde West. She added that services from this tower are expected to cover several residents in the area, which include those at the Belmond on Clyde development. The City of Casey will consider the application after July 3, according to Herald Sun.

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