Telstra's national network outage on 8 July, caused by a software defect in time-keeping servers, disrupted calls, data, EFTPOS payments and even train networks across the country for several hours.

• What it is: A software defect at Telstra's Sydney and Melbourne data centres knocked out calls and data services nationally from around 4:30am, with the network fully restored by 4pm the same day.
• Who is affected: Any business relying on Telstra mobile or fixed services, including those using Tyro and similar payment terminals, which also experienced processing issues during the outage.
• What's the risk: The outage showed how quickly card payments, phone lines, and even Triple Zero access can be disrupted when a single carrier has an issue, with flow-on effects for cash flow and customer service.
• What to do: Confirm your business has a backup payment method and a secondary way to be contactable, such as a second SIM on a different network or a landline/VoIP fallback, in case of future outages.

We recommend reviewing your business continuity plan for telco outages, particularly if EFTPOS is your only payment method.