Telstra outage disrupts businesses and transport across Australia

A nationwide Telstra network outage on Wednesday interrupted mobile service for hours, cutting phone and internet access for customers across Australia. Small businesses said the disruption prevented transactions and client communication. A building designer in Bairnsdale, Victoria, reported that her phone and internet were offline for part of the day, leaving calls unanswered and work unfinished.

Economic impact estimate RMIT associate professor Mark Gregory said the outage could cost the economy hundreds of millions of dollars. m. m. may have lost $20,000 or more. Gregory said the figures exclude additional losses to larger businesses and government organisations.

He added that the outage also halted train networks and other systems that rely on mobile connectivity, delaying commuters and affecting emergency services.

Compensation process Telstra chief financial officer Michael Ackland said the company would work with customers after service was restored. Gregory advised affected businesses to contact Telstra first and, if needed, to file a complaint with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert said her office received about 30 complaints on the day of the outage. She said the complaints came from both small businesses and residential customers and that more are expected in the following days. A nursery operator in outer Melbourne said her business lost about 80 percent of usual sales because suppliers and customers could not reach her by phone.