78Carriers to share real-time network information about a major outage or significant local outage

78 Carriers to share real-time network information about a major outage or significant local outage

(1) Carriers must share with the entities specified in subsection (2) the real-time network information specified at subsection (3) at the times specified in subsection (4). (2) The entities with whom a carrier must share information are: (a) the emergency call person for 000 and 112; (b) the emergency call person for 106; (c) all emergency service organisations located in the State or Territory affected by the major outage or significant local outage; (d) the ACMA; (e) the Department; and (f) the National Emergency Management Agency. (3) The real-time network information that must be shared includes as much of the following information about the major outage or significant local outage that is available to the carrier at the time of sharing: (a) the scale or suspected scale of the outage including the number of relevant carriage services impacted; (b) subject to subsection (5), the cause or likely cause of the outage; (c) the geographic areas impacted or likely to be impacted by the outage; (d) the types of relevant carriage services impacted or likely to be impacted by the outage; (e) the estimated timeframe for updates in relation to the outage; (f) the estimated timeframe for restoration of relevant carriage services. (4) The real-time network information must be shared: (a) if there is a material change that relates to the outage – as soon as practicable after the carrier becomes aware of the material change; or (b) otherwise, as frequently as the carrier considers an update is necessary, and at least:

(i) once every six hours for the first 24 hours of the outage; and

(ii) once during each subsequent 24-hour period.

(5) The carrier is not required to give information about the cause or likely cause of a major outage or a significant local outage if it has reasonable grounds to believe that disclosing this information could compromise its telecommunications network security or national security.