On April 28, 2025, Telstra users across Australia faced a significant disruption as the company’s email services, including BigPond and Telstra Mail, went down. The issue began around 2:00 PM AEST, leaving many users unable to access their accounts, particularly through email applications like Microsoft Outlook and Apple Mail. Telstra quickly acknowledged the issue, assuring customers that engineers were working diligently to rectify the situation.
By approximately 7:00 PM AEST the same day, most services were restored, but the aftermath revealed lingering problems. Even after the restoration, numerous users continued to report difficulties logging in—especially those relying on third-party apps rather than Telstra’s webmail platform.
In an effort to assist users in regaining access, Telstra shared several troubleshooting steps. Customers were advised to restart their devices, utilize Telstra webmail directly, and reset their passwords if issues persisted. The recommended steps included:
- Restart Your Device: A simple restart can often resolve minor glitches affecting email apps.
- Use Webmail Instead of an App: Visiting webmail.telstra.com and logging in directly can clarify whether the issue lies with the device or Telstra itself.
- Reset Your Email Password: Users were directed to the Telstra password reset page to create a new password and ensure it was securely saved.
- Remove & Re-add Your Account in Mail App: For those using Outlook, Apple Mail, or similar applications, deleting and re-adding the Telstra email account using specific IMAP settings was recommended.
- Clear Cache of Your Email App: Mobile users were instructed to clear the cache of their email apps by navigating to their phone’s settings.
- Update Your Mail App or Browser: Keeping applications updated is vital to prevent connection issues.
- Check Telstra Outage Page or Support: Users were encouraged to visit the Telstra Service Status page for updates on ongoing issues in their area.
- Contact Telstra Support: If problems continued, reaching out to Telstra support via chat or phone was suggested.
The outage sparked considerable frustration among users, particularly those who rely on Telstra Mail for professional communication. Complaints about long wait times to reach Telstra’s support teams were common, as businesses utilizing BigPond email services reported significant disruptions due to the downtime.
While Telstra managed to resolve the major issues quickly, the exact cause of the outage remains unclear. The company has yet to disclose what triggered the disruption. However, they have advised users to stick with webmail or reset their passwords if they continue to experience issues.
In a timeline of events, the outage began on April 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM AEST, with Telstra announcing service restoration by 7:00 PM AEST. Yet, by April 29, 2025, some users still faced login challenges, particularly when accessing their accounts through third-party applications.
Adding to the frustration was the experience of Phillip, a transport business owner who spoke with 2GB about the impact of the outage on his operations. "I couldn’t get on, I’m obviously a business owner," he explained. "I rang them, I was on hold for over an hour and thirty minutes to get through to somebody, and then they just said to me - oh sorry we haven’t updated Google to let you people know it’s been down but we’re working on it. That’s all I got out of them that was it. And it’s still not working this morning."
Phillip expressed the severity of the situation, lamenting, "I couldn’t send invoices, nothing. I’m in a jam, I’m stuck." His experience reflects the broader concerns of many users, emphasizing the critical role that reliable email services play in everyday business operations.
As Telstra continues to monitor the situation, they have reassured users that they are actively investigating any ongoing issues. The company has encouraged those still experiencing problems to reach out for assistance through their support channels.
In summary, the Telstra email outage on April 28, 2025, serves as a reminder of the challenges that can arise with technology. While the immediate crisis was resolved within hours, the lingering login issues highlight the complexities of modern communication systems and the importance of responsive customer support. As businesses and individuals increasingly depend on digital communication, ensuring the reliability of such services remains paramount.
