Telstra's software defect causes major outage across Australia

Telstra's mobile network stopped working across Australia on Wednesday morning, affecting thousands of customers. People could not make calls or use mobile data for several hours.

The problem was caused by a software fault that affected how the network kept time. Telstra said it was not a cyberattack. A fire near a Telstra facility in Orange also contributed to the disruption.

The outage had serious consequences. People trying to call emergency services on triple zero had difficulty getting through. Train services in regional Victoria were suspended because the radio network they use runs on Telstra's system.