Telstra has revealed it is facing a compensation bill of more than $100,000 following its recent network outage controversy, with thousands of affected customers already receiving credits.
The disclosure came during a Senate inquiry examining the telecommunications company’s latest triple-0 emergency services outage. Telstra Chief Financial Officer Michael Ackland confirmed that more than 8,000 compensation claims had been submitted by customers impacted by the disruptions.
Thousands of Customers Have Already Received Compensation
Speaking before the inquiry, Mr Ackland said several thousand claims had already been processed and paid in the form of account credits. While the highest payouts completed so far have only reached triple-digit amounts, he noted that larger claims are still awaiting assessment.
“The compensation bill is a little bit over $100,000,” Mr Ackland told the committee.
He also cautioned that the figure is expected to increase as more claims are reviewed.
“It is very, very early days in our view,” he said.
Customers affected by the outages can submit compensation requests by lodging a complaint through Telstra’s official website.
Senate Inquiry Reveals Nearly 9,000 Network Outages
The Senate inquiry also heard that Telstra experienced a total of 8,862 network outages across 2024 and 2025.
According to the figures presented:
- 2024: 3,641 outages
- 2025: 5,221 outages
Inquiry chair Sarah Hanson-Young described the jump between the two years as a “significant difference,” raising concerns over the reliability of Australia’s largest telecommunications provider.
The increase in outages comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Telstra’s network resilience, particularly after disruptions affecting access to the country’s triple-0 emergency call service.
Compensation Claims Expected to Rise
With thousands of customer claims still being assessed, Telstra’s compensation costs are expected to climb beyond the current figure. The company continues to process complaints while the Senate inquiry examines the causes of the outages and whether additional measures are needed to improve network reliability.
The inquiry is expected to continue investigating the incidents and Telstra’s response, including its handling of customer compensation and emergency service disruptions.
