Customer Service Advice from Optus
Extreme Weather events impact service in West Coast, Lower Eyre and Eastern Eyre Peninsula, North West and North East Pastoral, Flinders, Mid North, Yorke Peninsula, Riverland, Murraylands and Mount Lofty Ranges Districts of South Australia.
Optus is working to manage the significant impact to Optus services that has occurred as a result of a series of extreme weather events in the West Coast, Lower Eyre and Eastern Eyre Peninsula, North West and North East Pastoral, Flinders, Mid North, Yorke Peninsula, Riverland, Murraylands and Mount Lofty Ranges region of South Australia on or about Thursday 13 February 2014.
Due to the effect of damage to the telecommunications network by severe weather, there has been a significant increase in the number of Optus services being reported as faulty. As a result, there has been some disruption to service and delays to normal installation and repair activities.
Optus apologises to any affected customers.
Information as to the nature of these severe weather events can be sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). Heavy rainfall and damaging winds are referred to in the BOM Severe Weather Warning issued for 13 February 2014 initially at 5:00 pm Thursday, 13 February 2014; all of which were widely reported in the news media after the events.
Optus has identified that the effect of these circumstances may apply to approximately 315 services. Some of these services may not be installed or repaired within Optus’s standard time frames. The number of possibly affected services may increase or decrease as Optus assesses the full effect of the extreme weather conditions. Based on current information, the resumption date of Optus’s normal service operations is expected to be 7 March 2014. This date is indicative only, however, and may be subject to change once the full impact of the extreme weather conditions has been assessed. Optus regrets any inconvenience caused to customers and thanks them for their patience while this work is being undertaken. Optus services encompassed in this exemption are in the area bounded by and including, but not limited to, the area starting at Elliston heading northeast past Wudinna to Buckleboo, then turns north to Mount Ive. The area then heads northwest past Lake Everard then north to the Stuart Hwy (A87) and following the Stuart Hwy northwest past Coober Pedy and Marla to the Northern Territory border. The area then turns east and follows the SA/Northern Territory border past Poeppel Corner to Haddon Corner then turns south following the border to Pinnaroo. From Pinnaroo the area heads southwest past Culburra to Woods Well then following the coastline northwest past Meningie to Goolwa. From Goolwa the area heads north to Mt Barker, northeast past Mt Pleasant to Cambrai, northwest to Greenock, west to Wasleys then southwest to Middle Beach. From Middle Beach the area follows the coastline around Yorke Peninsula past Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Port Lincoln back to Elliston. All suburbs and towns, off shore islands and coastal areas serviced by Optus 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:
| 0872800000 to 0872809999 | 0883889000 to 0883889999 |
| 0872870000 to 0872879999 | 0885216000 to 0885432999 |
| 0875071000 to 0875072999 | 0885600000 to 0885959999 |
| 0875090000 to 0875094999 | 0886202000 to 0886895999 |
| 0875580000 to 0875599999 | 0888210000 to 0888689999 |
| 0876090000 to 0876091999 | 0888722000 to 0888722999 |
| 0881889000 to 0881889999 | 0888900000 to 0888949999 |
As these circumstances were outside of Optus’s control, Optus is claiming an exemption from compliance with time frames and performance standards required under the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2011. Therefore Optus is notifying customers that normal installation and repair time frames may not be met during the period from 17 February 2014 to 7 March 2014 inclusive (based on Optus’s estimated recovery schedule correct at the time of publication of this notice) and, under section 21 of the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2011, Optus will be exempt from complying with performance standards during this period.
If you have any questions regarding your eligibility for a CSG payment under this notice, or wish to have us reconsider whether the circumstances were a proper basis for claiming an exemption, you can contact Optus on 13 39 37– quoting CSG exemption reference number 17022014-SA-S-C-P-REGIONAL SOUTH AUSTRALIA_R_U.
You can also view a copy of this notice on our Internet site www.optus.com.au/msd If, after calling Optus on the above number, you remain unsatisfied with our response to your query, you have the option of raising the matter with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).Information on the TIO and contact details are available on the Internet and in the White Pages® telephone directory.
You can also view a copy of this notice on our Internet site www.optus.com.au/msd If, after calling Optus on the above number, you remain unsatisfied with our response to your query, you have the option of raising the matter with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).Information on the TIO and contact details are available on the Internet (www.tio.com.au) and in the White Pages® telephone directory.