Telstra’s only two network timing experts were reportedly sent home to rest before the July 8 network outage began, according to an external review. The review says the two engineers had been working in Melbourne in the early hours of July 8 after replacing a faulty power supply.
After completing that work, the two timing experts were placed on mandatory rest and were not on-site at the time the outage occurred. The outlets describe the same sequence of events: intervention for a power supply issue, followed by scheduled rest, then the outage hitting while they were away.
While the reports align on the key timeline, they focus on different aspects of the findings. Some coverage emphasizes the limited staffing for critical timing functions, while others highlight the procedural requirement for rest after shift work. All accounts refer to the review’s conclusion regarding their whereabouts when the network fell over and the connection to the earlier maintenance activity.
