Optus Offers Additional Data to Customers as Compensation for Nationwide Outage

Will Optus’ compensation offer be enough to satisfy affected customers and rebuild trust in the company?

Optus, one of Australia’s major telecommunications providers, has announced that eligible customers will receive 200GB of extra data as compensation for the nationwide outage that occurred on Wednesday. The outage affected over 10 million Australians and lasted for more than 12 hours. Optus CEO, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, stated that the additional data is a way to acknowledge the patience and loyalty of their customers during this disruptive event. This article explores the details of Optus’ compensation offer and the impact of the outage on businesses.

Optus has made a gesture of goodwill towards its customers affected by the nationwide outage, offering them 200GB of extra data as compensation. The outage, which lasted over 12 hours, impacted millions of Australians and caused significant disruptions. Optus CEO, Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, explained that the decision to provide additional data was based on the belief that it holds greater value for customers compared to simple refunds.

Acknowledging the patience and loyalty of their customers, Optus aims to provide an added benefit during the holiday season when data consumption tends to increase. Eligible customers will be granted access to the additional data from Monday, November 13, and will have until the end of the year to activate it. Prepaid customers will receive the opportunity to access unlimited data on weekends until the end of the year.

While the compensation offer may seem appealing to some, many businesses impacted by the outage express their dissatisfaction. Small business owners, in particular, lament the loss of revenue and customer base during the outage. One Sydney-based business owner, Debbie Hatumale-Uy, revealed that her revenue fell by over 60% on Wednesday. She criticizes Optus for disregarding the experiences of small businesses affected by the outage, stating that the 200GB of data is inadequate compensation for the loss they suffered.

Telecommunications experts also weigh in on the situation, warning that Australia’s major mobile providers, including Optus, are vulnerable to future outages due to cost-cutting measures and the lack of regulation. The outage serves as a wake-up call for the industry to prioritize resilience and learn from the incident.

As businesses continue to grapple with the aftermath of the outage, the federal government has announced an investigation into the incident. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland will review the outage and the way Optus communicated with its customers. Additionally, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is already investigating whether emergency calls were affected by the outage. Optus has welcomed these reviews and intends to cooperate fully.

Optus’ compensation offer comes after its parent company, Singtel, reported a rise in profits. Singtel disclosed that Optus’s earnings before interest and tax declined, attributing it to increased operating expenses and margin erosion in the enterprise sector. Optus is conducting its own investigation into the cause of the outage to prevent future occurrences.

• Optus will provide eligible customers with 200GB of extra data as compensation for the nationwide outage on Wednesday
• CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin believes that the additional data is of greater value than refunds
• Eligible customers can activate the additional data until the end of the year
• Businesses affected by the outage express dissatisfaction with the compensation offer
• Telecommunications experts warn of the potential for future outages

While Optus’ compensation offer of additional data attempts to appease affected customers, it faces criticism from businesses who argue that it does not adequately address the revenue loss they suffered. The outage has also prompted concerns about the vulnerability of Australia’s mobile providers to future disruptions. As investigations into the incident take place, it remains to be seen how Optus and the industry as a whole will respond to prevent similar outages in the future.