Extreme Weather events impact service in Adelaide Metropolitan, Mount Lofty Ranges, Kangaroo Island, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Mid North, Riverland, Murraylands and Upper South East Districts and parts of the West Coast, Flinders and Lower South East Districts of South Australia.
QTelecom is working to manage the significant impact to services that has occurred as a result of a series of extreme weather events in Adelaide Metropolitan, Mount Lofty Ranges, Kangaroo Island, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Mid North, Riverland, Murraylands and Upper South East Districts and parts of the West Coast, Flinders and Lower South East Districts of South Australia on or about Wednesday 28 September 2016 through to Thursday 29 September 2016.
Due to the effect of damage to the telecommunications network by heavy rainfall, there has been a significant increase in the number of Telstra 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 Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). Destructive wind, heavy rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones are referred to in the BOM Severe Weather Warning issued for 28 September 2016 initially at 12:26 pm Wednesday, 28 September 2016, reference number IDS65502; 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 13 November 2016. 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 Pointe Des Cordonniers heading north to Penong, northeast to Koonibba then southeast past Pureba to the Gawler Ranges National Park. The area heads south to Wudinna, northeast to Buckleboo and southeast to Wilcherry then northeast to the northwest corner of the Ikara- Flinders Ranges National Park. From Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park the area turns southeast past Peterborough to Burra, east past Chowilla to the SA/VIC border and then following the border south to the Edenhope-Penola Rd (C212). The area then turns southwest to Nora Creina and follows the coastline past Victor Harbor, Adelaide, around Yorke Peninsula past Port Pirie and continues past Port Augusta, Port Lincoln and Elliston back to Pointe Des Cordonniers. 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:
08 7210 0000 To 08 7210 9999
08 8150 0000 To 08 8449 9999
08 7285 0000 To 08 7285 8999
08 8520 0000 To 08 8598 9999
08 7383 0000 To 08 7389 9999
08 8620 2000 To 08 8689 5999
08 7522 4000 To 08 7522 4999
08 8736 4000 To 08 8736 5999
08 7628 3000 To 08 7628 4999
08 8750 0000 To 08 8769 9999
08 8100 0000 To 08 8116 9999
08 8821 0000 To 08 8868 9999
08 8130 0000 To 08 8139 9999
08 8890 0000 To 08 8894 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 29 September 2016 to 13 November 2016 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.
