NSW and SE QLD Telco Floods Support Updates

Details

With much of Australia’s east coast currently impacted by wild weather, many Australians have found themselves evacuated or having lost telecommunications services due to the impact of this strong weather.

Which mobile phone and nbn sites have been impacted?

Optus

Visit Optus’ website to get the latest updates for customers in flood-impacted areas

Telstra

Visit Telstra’s website to get the latest updates for customers in flood-impacted areas

TPG Telecom (Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, Internode)

TPG has reported that 16 mobile sites in 15 location were impacted between Sydney and the NSW Mid-North Coast due to flooding and heavy rain. These locations include:

  • Wauchope
  • Kempsey
  • Urgunga
  • Picket Hill
  • Nambucca
  • Kundabung
  • Yarrahapinn
  • Cabramatta South
  • St Leonards
  • Brooklyn
  • Port Macquarie
  • Mount White
  • Mount Elliot
  • Erina
  • Taree

NBN Co

There are currently around 3.400 premises in flood-affected areas that are without access to nbn services. The vast majority of nbn service outages are the result of localised power outages. For more information, visit NBN Co’s website.

Which stores have been impacted?

Optus

Optus stores in Kempsey will remain closed for the safety of employees and customers. While other Optus stores will trade as normal, they may close if localised conditions worsen in flood affected areas.

Telstra

Telstra has not reported any store closures.

TPG Telecom (Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, Internode)

TPG have not reported any store closures.

What support is available to flood affected customers?

Optus

Optus has established a dedicated contact number for Flood and Storm affected customers. Customers requiring urgent support should contact Optus on 1800 507 581 between 8am – 8pm AEDT (Mon-Fri) and 9am – 5pm AEDT (Sat). Otherwise, customers should contact Optus through the Optus app or online.

Optus is offering flexible support to customers, depending on their needs, for example: extra data, call diversions, service suspension, bill waivers or extra prepaid credit. Optus will work with customers to identify what type of assistance they required.

Optus is providing localised support at evacuation centres in Port Macquarie, Laurieton, Taree and Kempsey including complementary mobile devices and pre-paid recharge vouchers. Coverage is also available across all 19 NSW evacuation centres.


Telstra

If you’re a Telstra customer living in one of the areas they have listed, Telstra will send you an SMS with a link to request a disaster assistance package. You can also find out more about Telstra’s disaster assistance packages here.

If you need a temporary diversion for a landline phone to an alternate number, or for other long-term assistance, please contact Telstra. If you’re in a disaster-impacted area, give Telstra a call on 1800 888 888 to speak with their disaster assistance team.

Telstra has a number of short-term and long-term assistance options available for customers, including:

Short-term (for Telstra customers who have suffered a short-term impact, evacuation or fault)

  • Free use of Telstra public payphones in the affected areas
  • Free call diversion from an affected fixed home or business phone service to another fixed or mobile service of the customer’s choice, regardless of the carrier
  • 25GB data pack for post-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferrable to another service)
  • 25GB data and free calls for pre-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferrable to another service)

 

Long-term (for Telstra customers who have suffered severe damage to or loss of their premises)

  • Free call diversion from the customer’s Telstra fixed phone service to another Australian fixed or mobile service of their choice, regardless of the carrier. This offer is applicable for a maximum period of 6 months from the date of the request.
  • In addition, Telstra will apply a one-off credit up to the value of $500 inc. GST to the customer’s Telstra fixed phone account to help cover the costs of the following, if required:
  • Connection of a Telstra fixed phone service at one temporary residence.
  • Re-connection of a Telstra fixed phone service at the customer’s original permanent premises.

TPG Telecom (Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, Internode)

TPG have advised that their relevant hardship policies are applicable for those who have been impacted by the floods:

 

Vodafone has also launched a number of measures to reduce the burden for affected customers:

 

NBN Co

NBN Co has mobilised their fleet of Road Muster trucks and other portable assets, which are equipped with satellite and Wi-Fi broadband services, and their people and resources are on standby for deployment if requested by the NSW emergency services. NBN Co are awaiting further instruction from emergency services personnel leading the emergency response, and will support in any way they can.

For more information:

 

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