TPG Telecom

History

2022: Hackers gain access to email of 15,000 corporate customers

On December 14, 2022, it became known that the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, TPG, faced a hacker attack: it affected the Australian email services iiNet and Westnet, which are used by up to 15 thousand business clients in various areas.

Documents sent by TPG to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) said cybersecurity specialists from Mandiant found evidence of unauthorized access to the Hosted Exchange service used by iiNet and Westnet customers. The purpose of the attackers was to obtain information about users' cryptocurrency transactions and steal other confidential data.

Australia's second-largest telecoms firm TPG faces hacking attack

TPG does not specify exactly how much information could be in the hands of criminals. It is only noted that the investigation of the incident continues, and the affected clients will be informed about its results. In addition, the company emphasizes that the hack did not affect mobile or broadband Internet services. Access to email services for attackers was promptly closed.

We have taken steps to prevent unauthorized access and implemented additional security tools. We have notified the relevant government authorities about the incident and are in contact with all affected customers of Hosted Exchange, TPG said.

On December 11, 2022, Telstra Corporation, TPG's largest competitor, warned that 132 thousand customers could suffer due to an internal error that led to the disclosure of certain personal information. The incident is alleged to have occurred due to a "database mismatch." It is emphasized that in this case the problem is not related to the activity of cybercriminal groups.^[1]

2019: Refusal to build mobile network due to Huawei equipment ban

On February 25, 2019, TPG Telecom announced the amount of losses incurred by Australia's largest Internet provider as a result of the refusal to build its mobile network due to the country's ban on telecommunications equipment Huawei Technologies.

According to TPG Telecom, as a result of the curtailment of the project, the company will write off 228 million Australian dollars (about $163 million) in the first half of 2019. However, this will not affect the forecast for annual EBITDA profit (before taxes and interest on borrowed loans). Earlier, TPG Telecom expected this income in the range from 800 to 820 million Australian dollars, reports Reuters.

TPG Telecom refused to build its mobile network due to Huawei equipment ban and lost $163 million

The fact that TPG Telecom has suspended the construction of a 5G mobile network due to the impossibility of using Huawei equipment, the Australian telecom giant announced at the end of January 2019.

Due to the government's ban on the use of Huawei equipment in the 5G network announced at the end of August 2018, such work was stopped due to the commercial inexpediency of further investments in Chinese equipment, TPG Telecom said at the time.

How the already created part of the 5G network based on Huawei equipment will be used has not been specified. Then it was said about the financial costs of $73 million due to the disruption of the project.

TPG Telecom has selected Huawei as a supplier as the Chinese company promised simple upgrades to the network under construction LTE to 5G. However, since TPG Telecom agreed to merge with the Australian division, Vodafone Group the continuation of the construction of its own mobile network by TPG would lead to unnecessary duplication. By the end of February 2019, regulators have yet to approve a deal to merge the assets of TPG Telecom and Vodafone Australia.^[2]

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