Severe Weather events impact service in Melbourne Metropolitan, Central and North Central Districts and parts of the Northern Country, North East, and West & South Gippsland Districts of Victoria.

Severe weather events in Melbourne Metropolitan, Central and North Central Districts and parts of the Northern Country, North East, and West & South Gippsland Districts of Victoria on or about Wednesday 28 December 2016 through to Thursday 29 December 2016 have resulted in damage to the telecommunications network.

Due to the effect of damage to the 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/. Damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flash flooding are referred to within this site for Wednesday 28 December 2016 through to Thursday 29 December 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 5 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 not limited to, the area starting at Port Welshpool following the coastline past Port Franklin, Yanakie, Inverloch, Portsea, Melbourne and Williamstown to Avalon. From Avalon the area heads northeast to Bacchus Marsh, northwest to Amphitheatre, and north to Wedderburn then southeast to Inglewood. The area then turns south to Laanecoorie, southeast to Maldon then east to Redesdale. From Redesdale the area heads northeast to Thoona, southeast to Mount Buller, southwest to Baw Baw then southeast back to Port Welshpool. 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 4367 7000 To 03 4367 9999

03 5931 0000 To 03 5931 9999

03 5169 1000 To 03 5169 6999

03 5942 3100 To 03 5999 4999

03 5220 8000 To 03 5227 9999

03 8290 0000 To 03 8290 8999

03 5282 0000 To 03 5284 9999

03 8301 0000 To 03 8420 9999

03 5321 6000 To 03 5321 6999

03 8431 0000 To 03 8436 9999

03 5345 3000 To 03 5348 8999

03 8458 0000 To 03 8486 9999

03 5366 0000 To 03 5367 9999

03 8508 5000 To 03 8671 6999

03 5420 7000 To 03 5433 4999

03 8695 1000 To 03 8699 9999

03 5459 0000 To 03 5483 4999

03 8710 0000 To 03 8809 9999

03 5494 1000 To 03 5494 3999

03 8822 8000 To 03 8878 9999

03 5622 0000 To 03 5637 9999

03 8892 1000 To 03 8892 5999

03 5654 0000 To 03 5688 9999

03 9076 0000 To 03 9076 9999

03 5733 0000 To 03 5736 9999

03 9200 2300 To 03 9219 9999

03 5760 0000 To 03 5799 9999

03 9230 0200 To 03 9934 9999

03 5826 1000 To 03 5826 2999

03 9953 1000 To 03 9974 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 December 2016 to 5 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.

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