It began with what should have been a routine upgrade to the network. They are carried out all the time and there’s even a checklist on how to do them without a hitch.

All calls are moved to a back-up network as critical systems are locked up, the upgrade is carried out, then systems are restored. On Thursday, September 18, that checklist failed at the first hurdle for Optus.

The first vital step – the diversion – never happened. The result was catastrophic. Australians in desperate need of help dialled Triple Zero and were met with silence. Within hours, three people were dead. And what happened over the next 72 hours is even more damning for Australia’s second-biggest telco.

Optus chief executive Stephen Rue. Credit: Monique Westermann

Two emails sent by an Optus team member to C

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