Dear Customers,
This disruption has now been extended to May 28.
Regards
QTelecom Customer Care
Extreme Weather events impact service in the Northern Rivers District and parts of the Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands Districts of New South Wales.
Technicians are working to manage the significant impact to services that has occurred as a result of a series of extreme weather events in the Northern Rivers District and parts of the Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands Districts of New South Wales on or about Wednesday 29 March 2017 through to Thursday 30 March 2017.
Due to the effect of damage to the telecommunications network by Ex Tropical Cyclone Debbie, there has been a significant increase in the number of services being reported as faulty. As a result, there has been some disruption to service and delays to normal installation and repair activities.
QTelecom apologises to any affected customers.
Information as to the nature of these extreme weather events can be sourced from the Early Warning Network at http://www.ewn.com.au/alerts/. Heavy rain, destructive winds and flash flooding are referred to within this site for Wednesday 29 March 2017 through to Thursday 30 March 2017; all of which were widely reported in the news media after the events.
Based on current information, the resumption date of normal service operations is expected to be 14 May 2017. This date is indicative only, however, and may be subject to change once the full impact of the extreme weather conditions has been assessed. QTelecom regrets any inconvenience caused to customers and thanks them for their patience while this work is being undertaken.
Services encompassed in this exemption are in the area bounded by and including, but not limited to, the area starting at Duranbah Beach on the QLD/NSW border following the coastline past Kingscliff, Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour and Port Maquarie to Crowdy Head, then northwest past Comboyne to Yarrowitch. From Yarrowitch the area turns north past Wards Mistake to Glen Elgin then northwest past Emmaville to Bonshaw. The area heads north to the NSW/QLD border and follows the border easterly back to Duranbah Beach. All suburbs and towns, off shore islands and coastal areas serviced within these boundaries are encompassed in this exemption.
Services in the area mentioned above with phone numbers in the following number ranges may have been affected:
02 5524 0000 To 02 5525 5999
02 6734 5000 To 02 6739 5999
02 5620 0000 To 02 5622 8999
07 5506 0000 To 07 5524 9999
02 6538 0000 To 02 6538 3999
07 5536 0000 To 07 5536 9999
02 6550 3000 To 02 6569 9999
07 5565 1000 To 07 5569 9999
02 6580 0000 To 02 6604 9999
07 5586 6000 To 07 5599 9999
02 6618 0000 To 02 6692 9999
As these circumstances were outside of QTelecom’s control, QTelecom is claiming an exemption from compliance with time frames and performance standards required under the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2011.
Therefore QTelecom is notifying customers that normal installation and repair time frames may not be met during the period from 30 March 2017 to 14 May 2017 inclusive (based on estimated recovery schedule correct at the time of publication of this notice) and, under section 21 of the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2011, QTelecom will be exempt from complying with performance standards during this period.
