Severe Weather events impact service in the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands Districts and part of the North West Slopes and Plains District of New South Wales and parts of the Southeast Coast and Darling Downs and Granite Belt Districts of Queensland.

Optus is working to manage the significant impact to services that has occurred as a result of a series of severe weather events in the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast and Northern Tablelands Districts and part of the North West Slopes and Plains District of New South Wales and parts of the Southeast Coast and Darling Downs and Granite Belt Districts of Queensland on or about Thursday12 January 2017 and Saturday 14 January 2017 through to Sunday 15 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 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 Early Warning Network at http://www.ewn.com.au/alerts/. Heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hail stones are referred to within this site for Thursday 12 January 2017 and Saturday 14 January 2017 through to Sunday 15 January 2017; 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 2,550 services. Some of these services may not be installed or repaired within Optus standard time frames. The number of possibly affected services may increase or decrease as Optus assesses the full effect of the severe weather conditions. Based on current information, the resumption date of Optus normal service operations is expected to be 19 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.

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 is not limited to, the area starting at Woongoolba in Queensland following the coastline south past the Gold Coast, Tweed Heads, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie to Crowdy Head, then northwest past Comboyne to Yarrowitch. From Yarrowitch the area turns southwest to Nowendoc, west to Bowling Alley Point, southwest to Wallabadah and then northwest to Kapatur. The area heads northeast to North Star, northwest crossing the NSW/QLD border to South Talwood and then northeast to Moonie. From Moonie the area turns southeast to Inglewood, northeast past Allora and Harrisville to Slacks Creek then southeast to Bahrs Scrub and east back to Woongoolba. All suburbs and towns, off shore islands and coastal areas serviced by Optus within these boundaries are encompassed in this exemption.

How will this affect you?

Services in the area mentioned above with phone numbers in the following number ranges may have been affected:

0255240000 to 0255255999 | 0734725000 to 0734725999

0255900000 to 0255918999 | 0734960000 to 0734962999

0256060000 to 0256068999 | 0734986000 to 0734986099

0256112000 to 0256114999 | 0738000000 to 0738099999

0256116000 to 0256119999 | 0738264100 to 0738264399

0256200000 to 0256228999 | 0738842900 to 0738848799

0257129000 to 0257129999 | 0745280000 to 0745283999

0257131000 to 0257133999 | 0745396000 to 0745396999

0257135000 to 0257135999 | 0745408000 to 0745409999

0257324000 to 0257324999 | 0745648000 to 0745649999

0265381000 to 0265383999 | 0745944000 to 0745944999

0265566000 to 0265699999 | 0746191000 to 0746191999

0265800000 to 0266049999 | 0746509000 to 0746950999

0266180000 to 0267019999 | 0753312000 to 0753312999

0267200000 to 0267399999 | 0754100000 to 0754105999

0267552000 to 0267861999 | 0754606000 to 0754699999

0731133000 to 0731133999 | 0755001000 to 0755999999

0731330000 to 0731349999 | 0756058000 to 0756058999

0731420000 to 0731420999 | 0756070000 to 0756070999

0731422000 to 0731439999 | 0756090000 to 0756093999

0731610000 to 0731629999 | 0756186000 to 0756187999

0731720000 to 0731729999 | 0756270000 to 0756279999

0731890000 to 0731909999 | 0756442000 to 0756447999

0732000000 to 0732001999 | 0756560000 to 0756655999

0732908700 to 0732977999 | 0756679000 to 0756679999

0733800000 to 0733869999 | 0756790000 to 0756799999

0734411000 to 0734418899 | 0756891000 to 0756891999

What else do you need to know?

As these circumstances were outside of Optus 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 16 January 2017 to 19 February 2017 inclusive (based on Optus 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.

Need more information?

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 16012017-NSW-E-C-P-NORTHERN NSW AND SOUTHEAST QLD_RUL

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.