Optus controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
Back to profile8 entries
2025
Emergency-services calling failure
A firewall-upgrade fault blocked approximately 600 Triple Zero calls in several states and territories. The incident led to investigations into technical controls, notification delays and possible links to deaths reported after failed calls.
2023
Nationwide service outage
A major outage affected more than ten million customers and disrupted critical services, transport operations and emergency communications. The event contributed to the departure of chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin.
2022
Customer-data breach
A cyberattack exposed personal details of current and former customers, including identity-document information for a smaller group. The incident triggered police, privacy-regulator and government responses.
2020
Optus pays AU$504,000 infringement notice over spam-law breaches
Fine or penalty
Singtel Optus Pty Limited paid an infringement notice of AU$504,000 after the Australian Communications and Media Authority found significant breaches of spam laws. The breaches included commercial billing emails sent without an unsubscribe facility. The payment followed the regulator's findings, and the event was reported as Optus paying the infringement notice over the spam-law breaches.
Singtel Optus Pty Limited paid a $504,000 infringement notice after the ACMA found significant breaches of spam laws, including commercial billing emails without an unsubscribe facility.
Company response
Remediation — Optus
Specifically, Optus has committed to appoint an independent consultant to review its systems, policies and procedures for compliance with spam rules.
Source excerpt
The ACMA also found Optus sent commercial emails in the form of billing notices that did not include a unsubscribe facility.
Friday | 31st January, 2020
Singtel Optus Pty Limited has paid a $504,000 infringement notice after an Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found significant breaches of spam laws.
2019
Direct Carrier Billing conduct
The Federal Court imposed a $10 million penalty after Optus admitted misleading customers who were charged for unwanted digital content through Direct Carrier Billing. Refunds were issued to affected customers.
2019
Federal Court orders Optus to pay $6.4 million over misleading broadband emails
Fine or penalty
The Federal Court ordered Optus to pay $6.4 million in penalties for falsely telling customers of rival broadband services that their home internet would soon be disconnected and encouraging them to switch to Optus NBN. The ACCC said the emails created a false sense of urgency; Optus said the marketing email was sent by mistake.
Company response
Apology — Optus
“We reaffirm our apology to customers who received the mistaken communication in 2018,” a spokeswoman said.
Refund or compensation — Optus
“We have already offered a costless exit for those customers who took up the offer.”
Source excerpt
The competition watchdog says the Singtel-owned firm emailed 138,988 of its mobile phone customers in May 2018, telling them their existing broadband services would be disconnected “very soon” and encouraging them to switch to Optus NBN.
The Federal Court has ordered Optus to pay $6.4 million in penalties for falsely telling customers of rival broadband services their home internet would soon be disconnected.
“We took this case against Optus because we were concerned its emails created a false sense of urgency for consumers and may have discouraged them from shopping around for the best deal available,” ACCC chair Rod Sims said.
2018
FIFA World Cup streaming failures
Optus Sport experienced widespread outages during live World Cup matches, prompting an executive apology and customer compensation.
2014
Misleading network-coverage advertising
A court accepted Telstra’s challenge to an Optus television campaign concerning coverage claims.