CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVICE FROM OPTUS

Delay due to severe weather events in the Peninsula and Gulf Country Districts of Queensland.

The Peninsula and Gulf Country Districts of Queensland were impacted by severe weather on or about Tuesday 28 January 2020 through to Wednesday 29 January 2020.

An interruption to normal operations has occurred leading to delays in installation and repair activities. As many as 60 Optus services are impacted in the area bounded by and including, but not limited to, the area starting at the Queensland/Northern Territory border in the Gulf of Carpentaria, following the coastline east in a clockwise direction to Cape Flattery on the east coast. The area then heads southwest past Laura and Lynside to Esmeralda. From Esmeralda the area heads west past Nardoo to the QLD/NT border turning north back to the Gulf of Carpentaria. 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?

Unfortunately, your service may be affected and we may take longer than normal to fix telephone services or complete connections. Services in the area mentioned above with phone numbers in the following number ranges may have been affected: 

0740283000 to 0740283999 | 0742120000 to 0742206999 | 0744423000 to 0744482999

0740306000 to 0740310699 | 0742210000 to 0742218999 | 0747404000 to 0747404999

0740486000 to 0740699999 | 0742389000 to 0742389999 | 0747429000 to 0747493599

0740823000 to 0740947199 | 0744020000 to 0744020999 | 0747626000 to 0747698999

0742055000 to 0742055999 | 0744200000 to 0744208999

We anticipate that the majority of services will be restored by 1 March 2020. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this delay may cause but we can assure you we are working hard to get things back on track.

What else do you need to know?

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 28 January 2020 initially at 4:42 pm Tuesday, 28 January 2020, reference number IDQ21037; all of which were widely reported in the news media after the events.

Due to this event, we’re claiming an exemption under section 21 of the Telecommunications (Customer Service Guarantee) Standard 2011, including an exemption from the payment of compensation between 30 January 2020 to 1 March 2020 inclusive for any delays in fixing or connecting services, and the keeping of appointments relating to these activities in the impacted area.

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 30012020-QLD-E-C-P-PENINSULA AND GULF COUNTRY_RUNL

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.