Severe Weather events impact service in Sydney Metropolitan District and parts of the Illawarra, South Coast and Central Tablelands Districts.

Optus is working to manage the significant impact to Optus services that has occurred as a result of a series of severe weather events in the Sydney Metropolitan District and parts of the Illawarra, South Coast and Central Tablelands Districts of New South Wales on or about Thursday 7 February 2017.

Due to the effect of damage to the telecommunications network by heavy rainfall and damaging winds 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 Tuesday 7 February 2017 initially at 11.02am reference number (IDN65156) 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 4,230 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 26 February 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.

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 Palm Beach following the coastline south past Sydney, Wollongong, Ulladulla and Batemans Bay to Wallaga Lake. From Wallaga Lake the area heads northwest to Badja, northeast to Tianjara, and northwest to Bungonia then northeast to Robertson. The area continues northeast to Appin, northwest to Warragamba, north to Blaxland then northeast to Grose Vale. From Grose Vale the area turns southeast to Kenthurst then northeast back to Palm Beach. All suburbs and towns, including metropolitan Sydney, 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:

0242200000 to 0242397999 | 0281890000 to 0281899999

0242431000 to 0242431999 | 0282040200 to 0282046899

0242440000 to 0242448999 | 0282171300 to 0283069999

0242510000 to 0242979999 | 0283320000 to 0283999999

0244059000 to 0244059999 | 0284079000 to 0284079999

0244078000 to 0244078999 | 0284110000 to 0284119999

0244123000 to 0244299999 | 0284220000 to 0284489999

0244410000 to 0244799999 | 0284670000 to 0284679999

0244810000 to 0244819999 | 0285080000 to 0285449999

0245049000 to 0245049999 | 0285570000 to 0285969999

0245720000 to 0245829999 | 0286250000 to 0286259999

0246020000 to 0246020999 | 0286280000 to 0286289999

0246031000 to 0246032999 | 0286331000 to 0286339999

0246200000 to 0246590999 | 0286654000 to 0286654899

0247048000 to 0247048999 | 0286770000 to 0286789999

0247065000 to 0247065999 | 0287000000 to 0288889999

0247200000 to 0247379999 | 0288990000 to 0289259999

0247523100 to 0247523399 | 0289370000 to 0289374999

0247730000 to 0247779999 | 0289620000 to 0289789999

0247890000 to 0247899999 | 0290300000 to 0290319999

0280210000 to 0280219999 | 0290902000 to 0290902999

0280540000 to 0280549999 | 0291110000 to 0291119999

0280650000 to 0280659999 | 0291300000 to 0291309999

0280680000 to 0280689999 | 0291441000 to 0291539999

0280840000 to 0280849999 | 0291810000 to 0291815999

0280948000 to 0280950999 | 0292000000 to 0299999999

0280958000 to 0280959999

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 8 February 2017 to 26 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 08022017-NSW-S-C-P-SYDNEY AND SURROUNDING DISTRICTS_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.