Latest news with #SamanthaYorke
West Australian
7 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Telstra penalised for disruption to emergency call service used by people with hearing, speech impairments
Australia's biggest telco failed to provide emergency call service for a period of time last year during a software upgrade, the nation's media regulator has found. Telstra has paid just under $19,000 in fines and agreed to launch an independent review after it mistakenly disabled the connection to the emergency call relay service, which is used by people with hearing and speech impairments. An Australian Communications and Media Authority investigation found the 106 number — which can be used with a teletypewriter — was accidentally made unavailable for 12 hours and 46 minutes between July 5 and 6 last year, following a server migration process. A teletypewriter allows for typed messages to be communicated to police, fire and ambulance services over a phone line. Under emergency call services rules, telco providers must maintain the proper and effective functioning of their networks and facilities that are used to carry emergency calls. ACMA member and consumer lead Samantha Yorke said the regulator took any disruption to an emergency call service 'very seriously' given there could be devastating consequences for the public. 'This mistake could have contributed to very serious harm if someone who relies on this service had needed emergency assistance but was unable to get through,' she said. 'Fortunately, the records show no one attempted to use the 106 service for an emergency during the time the service was disabled.' Telstra has given ACMA a court enforceable undertaking to improve its relevant change management processes. It has also engaged an independent reviewer to look at the range of operational arrangements that support reliable delivery of the 106 emergency call service. Telstra has been contacted for comment. Rival telco Optus was fined a record $12 million by ACMA last November for its network outage a year earlier that left millions of Australians without mobile or internet access, and even left some customers unable to call triple-0.
ABC News
03-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Telstra fined for disruption to emergency call service used by people with hearing, speech impairments
Telstra has again fallen short of regulator standards and community expectations in providing access to emergency services. The telco giant has paid a penalty and agreed to launch an independent review after it mistakenly disabled its connection to an emergency call relay service, which is used by people with hearing or speech impairments. In a life- or property-threatening time-critical emergency situation, Australians should contact triple-0 (000) — or, if they are using a type and listen or teletypewriter (TTY) device, they can dial 106 to be connected to police, fire or ambulance services. An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found the 106 emergency call service number was inadvertently made unavailable for 12 hours and 46 minutes between July 5 and 6 2024, following a server migration process. TTY is a text-based communication method for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech impairments, allowing them to communicate via typed text over a phone line. A relay officer reads out the text a person types into their TTY device to an emergency operator. ACMA says it takes any disruption to an emergency call service very seriously, given there could be devastating consequences for members of the public. "This mistake could have contributed to very serious harm if someone who relies on this service had needed emergency assistance but was unable to get through," ACMA member and consumer lead Samantha Yorke said. "Fortunately, the records show no one attempted to use the 106 service for an emergency during the time the service was disabled." Under emergency call service rules, carriers must maintain the proper and effective functioning of their networks and facilities that are used to carry emergency calls. An analyst has raised concerns about the repeated failure of Australia's largest telecommunications providers to meet basic consumer needs. In December 2024, the ACMA imposed a $3 million penalty on Telstra after an investigation found 473 breaches of emergency call rules when Telstra's triple-0 call centre experienced a disruption for 90 minutes. "We've now had two major emergency service failures from Telstra in under a year," telecommunications consultant Paul Budde said, describing the incidents as "warning signs that core infrastructure is being compromised". Telstra has given the ACMA a court-enforceable undertaking to improve its relevant change management processes. It has also engaged an independent reviewer to look at the range of operational arrangements that support reliable delivery of the 106 emergency call service. "For years, Telstra has tried to position itself as a high-value tech company rather than a reliable utility," Mr Budde said. "But you can't build a shiny digital future on crumbling foundations. Telstra has also paid a penalty of $18,780, the maximum the ACMA could impose under the circumstances. Mr Budde said it was "pocket change" for the telco. "We need penalties that actually hurt — or better yet, incentives that reward doing the right thing." Optus was penalised a record $12 million by ACMA in late 2024 for a November 2023 network outage that caused considerable disruption to emergency call services. Telstra has committed to an independent review of its systems and says it will implement any reasonable recommendations of the review, develop and provide staff training and report regularly to ACMA on its progress implementing these undertakings. In a written statement, a Telstra spokesperson told the ABC that while no emergency calls failed during the disruption on July 6, 2024, the Telco understands the "critical importance of maintaining reliable emergency call services and the potential consequences of any disruption." 'We fully accept the findings of the ACMA and have committed to an independent review of our change management processes and operational arrangements to ensure such a mistake doesn't happen again,' the spokesperson said.
7NEWS
25-05-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Australian watchdog issues warning to Elon Musk's satellite internet service Starlink
Elon Musk 's Starlink has been put on notice by the Australian communications watchdog. The controversial billionaire's satellite internet service received a warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) over complaints record-keeping. Telecommunications companies with more than 30,000 active services are required to file complaints reports with the authority no later than 30 days after each quarter. But Starlink failed to do so on four occasions between October 2023 and July 2024. 'Starlink's failure to submit the required complaints reports in a timely way hampered the ACMA in its role of monitoring whether Starlink is meeting its obligations towards consumers,' authority member Samantha Yorke said. The company has since provided the outstanding complaints reports and cooperated throughout the investigation. The Starlink satellite service has increased in popularity in parts of regional Australia, where internet is provided through the slower copper network instead of fibre-optic cables. Some say it could compete with Australia's National Broadband Network as thousands across the country are now believed to use the service in their homes. However, there are lingering concerns about the risks it could pose. In December, a regional telecommunications review found the foreign ownership of systems such as Starlink raises questions about data security and sovereign risks.
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Musk's Starlink Cautioned on Record-Keeping by Australian Regulator
Elon Musk's Starlink, which delivers the internet by satellite, has received a formal warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The service signed up its first Australian customers in 2021, after launching in 2019, and its popularity grew rapidly due to the continent's remote geography. In many places outside of cities and sizeable towns, traditional delivery by fibre optic cables or Wi-Fi is impossible, and remote areas that do have alternatives usually have to rely on the slower copper wire network. According to the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, as of early 2025, Starlink has over 350,000 customers in Australia, representing approximately 4.2 percent of homes. Telecommunications companies with more than 30,000 active customers are required to report to ACMA on the number and nature of complaints they receive, no later than 30 days after each quarter. But Starlink failed to do so on four occasions between October 2023 and July 2024. Related Stories 4/29/2025 2/18/2025 'Starlink's failure to submit the required complaints reports in a timely way hampered the ACMA in its role of monitoring whether Starlink is meeting its obligations towards consumers,' authority member Samantha Yorke said. ACMA says the company has since rectified the issue by providing the outstanding complaints reports and cooperated throughout the investigation. The growing uptake of Starlink has led to speculation that it could become a competitor to Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN), but there are concerns about the risks this may pose. Last year, a regional telecommunications review ( In July 2023, Optus announced a partnership with Starlink to deliver outdoor direct-to-home (DTH) mobile connectivity in areas without existing mobile coverage, providing near 100 percent coverage of the Australian continent where the user has line of sight to the sky. Optus has indicated it plans to initially roll out SMS capability. Voice and limited data capabilities will be available about a year after the initial deployment, once more Starlink DTH capable satellites are launched. However, some submissions to the review pointed out that the high upfront equipment costs, ongoing subscription fees and self-install model make it inaccessible for some households and businesses, especially in rural and remote areas. 'Starlink requires the installation of a $599 terminal and a monthly fee of $139 for a residential service. This is out of reach for lowest income households,' according to a submission from ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making.
The Advertiser
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Australian watchdog issues warning to Musk's Starlink
Elon Musk's Starlink has been put on notice by the Australian communications watchdog. The controversial billionaire's satellite internet service has received a warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) over complaints record-keeping. Telecommunications companies with more than 30,000 active services are required to file complaints reports with the authority no later than 30 days after each quarter. But Starlink failed to do so on four occasions between October 2023 and July 2024. "Starlink's failure to submit the required complaints reports in a timely way hampered the ACMA in its role of monitoring whether Starlink is meeting its obligations towards consumers," authority member Samantha Yorke said. The company has since provided the outstanding complaints reports and cooperated throughout the investigation. The Starlink satellite service has increased in popularity in parts of regional Australia, where internet is provided through the slower copper network instead of fibre-optic cables. Some say it could compete with Australia's National Broadband Network as thousands across the country are now believed to use the service in their homes. However, there are lingering concerns about the risks it could pose. In December, a regional telecommunications review found the foreign ownership of systems such as Starlink raises questions about data security and sovereign risks. Elon Musk's Starlink has been put on notice by the Australian communications watchdog. The controversial billionaire's satellite internet service has received a warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) over complaints record-keeping. Telecommunications companies with more than 30,000 active services are required to file complaints reports with the authority no later than 30 days after each quarter. But Starlink failed to do so on four occasions between October 2023 and July 2024. "Starlink's failure to submit the required complaints reports in a timely way hampered the ACMA in its role of monitoring whether Starlink is meeting its obligations towards consumers," authority member Samantha Yorke said. The company has since provided the outstanding complaints reports and cooperated throughout the investigation. The Starlink satellite service has increased in popularity in parts of regional Australia, where internet is provided through the slower copper network instead of fibre-optic cables. Some say it could compete with Australia's National Broadband Network as thousands across the country are now believed to use the service in their homes. However, there are lingering concerns about the risks it could pose. In December, a regional telecommunications review found the foreign ownership of systems such as Starlink raises questions about data security and sovereign risks. Elon Musk's Starlink has been put on notice by the Australian communications watchdog. The controversial billionaire's satellite internet service has received a warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) over complaints record-keeping. Telecommunications companies with more than 30,000 active services are required to file complaints reports with the authority no later than 30 days after each quarter. But Starlink failed to do so on four occasions between October 2023 and July 2024. "Starlink's failure to submit the required complaints reports in a timely way hampered the ACMA in its role of monitoring whether Starlink is meeting its obligations towards consumers," authority member Samantha Yorke said. The company has since provided the outstanding complaints reports and cooperated throughout the investigation. The Starlink satellite service has increased in popularity in parts of regional Australia, where internet is provided through the slower copper network instead of fibre-optic cables. Some say it could compete with Australia's National Broadband Network as thousands across the country are now believed to use the service in their homes. However, there are lingering concerns about the risks it could pose. In December, a regional telecommunications review found the foreign ownership of systems such as Starlink raises questions about data security and sovereign risks. Elon Musk's Starlink has been put on notice by the Australian communications watchdog. The controversial billionaire's satellite internet service has received a warning from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) over complaints record-keeping. Telecommunications companies with more than 30,000 active services are required to file complaints reports with the authority no later than 30 days after each quarter. But Starlink failed to do so on four occasions between October 2023 and July 2024. "Starlink's failure to submit the required complaints reports in a timely way hampered the ACMA in its role of monitoring whether Starlink is meeting its obligations towards consumers," authority member Samantha Yorke said. The company has since provided the outstanding complaints reports and cooperated throughout the investigation. The Starlink satellite service has increased in popularity in parts of regional Australia, where internet is provided through the slower copper network instead of fibre-optic cables. Some say it could compete with Australia's National Broadband Network as thousands across the country are now believed to use the service in their homes. However, there are lingering concerns about the risks it could pose. In December, a regional telecommunications review found the foreign ownership of systems such as Starlink raises questions about data security and sovereign risks.
