Severe Weather events impact service in Innisfail and part of the surrounding North Tropical Coast and Tablelands District of Queensland.
QTelecom is working to manage the significant impact to services that has occurred as a result of a series of severe weather events in Innisfail and part of the surrounding North Tropical Coast and Tablelands District of Queensland on or about Saturday 7 January 2017 through to Monday 9 January 2017.
Due to the effect of damage to the telecommunications network by severe thunderstorms, 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 severe weather events can be sourced from the Early Warning Network at http://www.ewn.com.au/alerts/. Very heavy rainfall and flash flooding is referred to within this site for Saturday 7 January 2017 through to Monday 9 January 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 12 February 2017.
This date is indicative only, however, and may be subject to change once the full impact of the severe 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 is not limited to, the area starting at Deeral following the coastline south past Innisfail and Cardwell to Lucinda. From Lucinda the area heads southwest to Bemerside, northwest to Kirrama and north to Millaa Millaa then northeast back to Deeral. 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:
07 4030 2000 To 07 4030 2999
07 4061 0000 To 07 4088 9999
07 4043 2000 To 07 4048 5999
07 4232 6000 To 07 4232 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 10 January 2017 to 12 February 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.
