Victoria Police said officers were sent to conduct welfare checks at dozens of addresses across the state after an Optus network outage disrupted access to triple-zero services. The outage has prompted an angry response from the state government, with Victoria’s Health Minister describing the disruption as “incredibly disappointing and unacceptable.”
We look at what is known so far, what Victoria Police has said about the response, and what Victorians should do if they cannot get through to emergency services during a network failure.
What happened #
Victoria Police said in a statement that officers became aware of a disruption to Optus’s network that affected some customers’ ability to connect to triple-zero. Police said the outage meant an unknown number of calls to emergency services may not have connected, prompting a decision to dispatch officers to check on the welfare of people believed to have attempted to make contact.
According to Victoria Police, officers carried out welfare checks at dozens of properties linked to failed or dropped emergency calls made during the outage window. Police said the checks were a precautionary measure while the extent of the outage was assessed, and that the response involved coordination between Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and Triple Zero Victoria.
VCN understands the outage affected both voice calls and, in some cases, the ability of the network to identify the caller’s location — information that is normally passed automatically to emergency dispatchers. We have been told this made it harder for authorities to identify which addresses may have been affected, contributing to the scale of the welfare-check operation.
Government reaction #
Victoria’s Health Minister said the outage was “incredibly disappointing and unacceptable,” and said the government expected telecommunications providers to guarantee reliable access to emergency call services. The minister’s comments reflect broader public frustration following previous outages that have affected triple-zero access nationally.
It is understood the state government has sought an explanation from Optus and from the federal communications regulator regarding the cause of the fault and the length of time it took to identify and resolve it. VCN has sought comment from Optus regarding the cause of the outage and the number of customers affected.
Why welfare checks were needed #
Triple-zero outages are treated seriously by police because an unanswered or dropped emergency call could mean someone in a genuine crisis — a medical event, a family violence incident, a house fire — was left without help at a critical moment. Victoria Police said the welfare checks were designed to close that gap by physically attending addresses linked to failed calls, rather than relying on a callback that may not succeed if the network fault persists.
Sources close to the response have told VCN that in most cases officers found no immediate emergency, but that a number of checks did result in police or paramedics providing follow-up assistance. Victoria Police has not released a detailed breakdown of outcomes from the welfare checks, and VCN has not verified individual cases.
This is not the first outage #
Optus has faced scrutiny before over network reliability, including a major nationwide outage in 2023 that cut phone and internet access for millions of customers and prompted a federal review into the telecommunications sector’s obligations around emergency call access. That review examined how providers notify authorities of outages and what backup arrangements exist for triple-zero access when a network fails.
Under current telecommunications rules, providers are required to maintain access to emergency call services and to have contingency arrangements in place. Following the 2023 outage, the federal government flagged possible reforms to strengthen those obligations. It is understood authorities will consider whether this latest incident points to gaps that remain unresolved.
What Victorians should do if triple-zero fails #
Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria have previously advised the public that if a call to triple-zero does not connect, people should:
- Try calling again immediately, as some outages are intermittent
- Attempt to call from a different phone or a different network if one is available
- Where safe to do so, go to the nearest police station, hospital emergency department, or fire station in person
- Ask a neighbour, workplace, or nearby business to attempt a call on a different carrier
- Keep a battery pack or landline available where possible, particularly for households with vulnerable family members
Victoria Police said anyone who believes they, or someone they know, attempted to call triple-zero during the outage and did not get through should contact police on the non-emergency line so a welfare check can be arranged if one has not already occurred.
What happens next #
VCN understands the cause of the outage remains under investigation, and that Optus is expected to provide a report to the relevant regulator outlining what went wrong and what steps will be taken to prevent a repeat. Victoria Police said its welfare-check operation had concluded but that officers would follow up further if additional affected addresses were identified.
The state government has indicated it will continue to press for accountability from telecommunications providers over emergency call reliability. Any regulatory or policy response is likely to unfold over coming weeks as federal authorities assess the scale and cause of the failure.
This is a developing story. VCN will update this report as further details become available from Victoria Police, Optus and relevant regulators.
Anyone concerned about a welfare check or unable to reach emergency services should contact Victoria Police on the non-emergency assistance line. If you are experiencing an emergency and cannot reach triple-zero, attend the nearest police station, hospital or fire station in person where safe to do so. For crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
