Optus Outage - How is it affecting you?

[Must...Fly!]

VA contact centres are tied up in this, annoying as I can't call to organise a fly ahead for this afternoon. But at least I'm with Telstra..

 

[aus_flyer]

Final nail in the coffin for me. Will be shifting after this. Vodafone looking quite appealing now with their new inflight roaming inclusions

 

[ellen10]

I went up to my local shopping street. Businesses are struggling. IGA making frequent announcements to shoppers, that it is cash only. Some people with big trolleys not happy.
Some shops happily trading but then some are like ghost shops.
My Amaysim mobile is with Optus but thankfully we changed home internet this year to TPG.

Such a big impact on so many people in diverse situations.

 

[JohnK]

I'm with Circle.life/Optus but lucky daughter has Vodafone and Telstra otherwise I could not work.

Sydney parents and brother on Optus and phones are down but lucky brother has broadband at home so we can use Line to call.

Not very good customer service.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Not impacting my phone as I'm on Telstra (Woolies Mobile) but iPad is on Optus. Perhaps I should be saying, 'No' to them once the prepaid term is up?

It is my understanding that you can go out and purchase backup service, use that and simply bill it back to Optus. Practically what I think would be the most expedient way to get back online would be to buy a SIM from a supermarket and activate that. If you need a mobile internet stick you can often find those at supermarkets, and I believe Australia Post also sells them (it's tied to the Telstra network IIRC).

Best of luck everyone!

-RooFlyer88

 

[knagelli]

Keen to see what compensation is offered - hoping 1 month free.

They never offered anything when they were hacked and data was lost , so it might be highly unlikely but hey who says no to a month of free mobile.

Post automatically merged: Nov 8, 2023

It is my understanding that you can go out and purchase backup service, use that and simply bill it back to Optus.

Do you have any reference to this , asking genuinely as I cannot use my phone and not sure if that will be back up this arvo.

 

[serfty]

Looks like something is back ...

 

[kangarooflyer88]

They never offered anything when they were hacked and data was lost , so it might be highly unlikely but hey who says no to a month of free mobile.

Post automatically merged: Nov 8, 2023

Do you have any reference to this , asking genuinely as I cannot use my phone and not sure if that will be back up this arvo.

The litigation there is still ongoing:

Optus Data Breach Class Action

Class action commenced regarding the September 2022 Optus customer data breach. Register for updates on a potential class action against Optus

www.slatergordon.com.au

 

[serfty]

Looks like something is back ...
View attachment 352928

Maybe not ...

 

[marki]

Triple Zero will not operate from landlines. Hope the smile of the CEO is compensation enough.

 

[Lynda2475]

They never offered anything when they were hacked and data was lost , so it might be highly unlikely but hey who says no to a month of free mobile.

They did offer to pay for new ID and Equifax account for the impacted customers, noting the breach didnt impact all customers unlike this outage.

When Telstra had a mass outage they had gave customers a day of free calls/data so who knows.

 

[knagelli]

They did offer to pay for new ID and Equifax account for the impacted customers, noting the breach didnt impact all customers unlike this outage.

Yup I agree to that however just changing the Id in itself was a pain during those days as passport was taking weeks so it was not much of a use atleast for someone like ; new passport/Id means updating it across many avenues than to risk it/leave it.

 

[Human]

I'm recently back from overseas where we successfully used the Airalo e-sim app. Wondering whether Airalo works in Australia and whether there's any chance Optus would compensate us for the cost of an e-sim?

My whole family is on Optus -- mobiles, NBN, everything!

 

[Lynda2475]

You can always make emergency calls from a mobile via 000 (or if roaming the relevant 999 or 911) even if no sim inserted or credit as long as you are within range of any mobile network, this has been a feature of the mobile design since the 90s and all Telcos have to support this standard.

There is however, no such thing as an actual landline anymore, the nbn version is VOIP and is internet dependent so yes if no internet service no calls.

 

[marki]

You can always make emergency calls from a mobile via 000 (or if roaming the relevant 999 or 911) even if no sim inserted or credit as long as you are within range of any mobile network, this has been a feature of the mobile design since the 90s and all Telcos have to support this standard.

There is however, no such thing as an actual landline anymore, the nbn version is VOIP and is internet dependent so yes if no internet service no calls.

Optus Ceo probably does not know this.

 

[mrsterryn]

Husband just went to get a few bits and pieces from local shops.. fortunately he had cash. Others in the bread shop had no idea what to do. It was interesting he said to see the reactions of not able to use tap and go etc

 

[Lynda2475]

There is a huge blackspot in mobile coverage near my local are around the main cafe strip, Coles, hairdressers etc for about 4 square blocks.

Previously had great coverage but the pub on which the Optus and Vodafone tower was located is renovating so the antennas were removed about 6 months ago even though renos have yet to start and both Optus and Vodafone have failed to secure another premises to put the antennas on (although there is a rumour re the RSL).

So here folks are used to not being able to tap and go at any of the shops/restaurants in the impacted blocks unless you are lucky to have access to someones wifi. When Im in the cafe I use wifi from the hairdresser next door, pays to be a regular and i pay by physical card.

Plenty of locals have used this as a justification to breaks contract and switch to Telstra. Although if one wanted to churn today do not see how they can given the Optus network would need to be operating to process the churn over to Telstra.

Of course Telstra and Vodafone use similar core technology so if this isnt a case of human error then the next outage could just as easily be with them

 

[Austman]

I have mobile data via Optus now!

It came back just a few minutes ago. This is inner Melbourne.

Lucky for me I have Telstra also. I only use Optus for mobile data.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I didn't realize this impacted landlines as well! I hope the telecommunications regulator comes down hard on Optus. Landlines should never ever ever ever be affected by service interruptions. Now maybe in Australia everything is willy nilly when it comes to landlines, but back in Canada they would operate 24/7 all the time every time. That is literally the only thing you could count on absolutely in North America. Heck the power went out in the Northeast of North America impacting millions for well over a day in (2003 Northeast blackout) but you could still place a call on your landline or at a payphone. I would know, I was there at the time!

If you can't ensure that something as critical as landline is working you are really in a sorry state. Add to that the fact that for many folks in regional and rural Australia, landlines are their only link, many of them elderly living alone, and it should be apparent that this is wrong what is happening!

-RooFlyer88

 

[Pushka]

I have mobile data via Optus now!

It came back just a few minutes ago. This is inner Melbourne.

Lucky for me I have Telstra also. I only use Optus for mobile data.

We don't. Have the signal on the device but it goes nowhere. Bought a Telstra plan now for business and fully expect to claim the cost back to Optus. Phone seems to be on 3g now. Used to be 5g.