Dear Valued Customers,
QTelecom is working to manage the significant impact to services that has occurred as a result of a series of severe weather events in the South West District and parts of the Central, North Central, Northern Country, Mallee and Wimmera Districts of Victoria on or about Thursday 8 September 2016 through to Tuesday 13 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 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/. Heavy rain is referred to within this site for Thursday 8 September 2016 through to Tuesday 13 September 2016; 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 9 October 2016. 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 not limited to, the area starting at Urquhart Bluff following the coastline past Warrnambool and Portland to the South Australian Border. The boundary follows the border north to the Mallee Hwy (B12) turning southeast to Culgoa then northwest to Chinkapook and north to Lake Powell. From Lake Powell the area heads northeast crossing the Victorian/New South Wales border to Balranald, turns southeast to Wakool then south crossing the New South Wales/Victoria border to Gunbower. The area heads southeast to Toolleen then southwest to Macedon, south to Quandong, southwest to Inverleigh, southeast to Moriac then southwest back to Urquhart Bluff. All suburbs, 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:
03 4333 4000 To 03 4333 9999
03 5281 3000 To 03 5289 7999
03 4432 2000 To 03 4432 2999
03 5320 0000 To 03 5369 4999
03 5020 0000 To 03 5039 9999
03 5380 1000 To 03 5399 4999
03 5071 9000 To 03 5085 4999
03 5421 0000 To 03 5499 9999
03 5220 0000 To 03 5239 8999
03 5520 2000 To 03 5529 5999
03 5265 2000 To 03 5267 3999
03 5551 0000 To 03 5599 8999
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 12 September 2016 to 9 October 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.
Regards
QTelecom Customer Care
