The outages, especially those affecting emergency calls, have raised serious concerns about the network's reliability and safety, drawing criticism from government officials and the public.

This crisis has renewed speculation about whether Singtel might consider selling Optus, given diplomatic sensitivities and the company's tarnished reputation.

The Australian government is considering various penalties for Optus, such as fines, restrictions on spectrum auctions, and license conditions, with diplomatic implications due to Singtel's ownership.

The 2023 large-scale outage, which led to a $12 million fine, prompted recommendations like establishing an independent manager for Triple Zero systems, though these measures are still not fully implemented.

Optus' leadership has publicly pledged to improve service quality and rebuild trust, but recent outages have severely damaged its credibility and customer confidence.

Singtel, which positions itself as a challenger to Telstra in Australia, faces a threat to its market position and investor confidence amid ongoing service failures.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other political figures have condemned Optus' failures, calling for accountability through potential fines, spectrum restrictions, and stricter licensing.

Optus CEO Stephen Rue and Singtel's Yuen Kuan Moon are under intense scrutiny following two major network outages in Australia, including a recent incident in Dapto that blocked calls to emergency services.