MSD - 05052020 VIC SCP NORTHERN VIC AND SOUTHERN NSW RUNL

Delay due to severe weather in the North East and parts of the Northern Country and North Central Districts of Victoria and parts of the South West Slopes and Riverina Districts of New South Wales.

The North East and parts of the Northern Country and North Central Districts of Victoria and parts of the South West Slopes and Riverina Districts of New South Wales were impacted by severe weather on or about Wednesday 29 April 2020 through to Friday 1 May 2020. This event resulted in extensive damage to the telecommunications network.

An interruption to normal operations has occurred leading to delays in installation and repair activities. As many as 210 Optus services encompassed in this exemption are in the area bounded by and including, but not limited to, the area starting at Pilot Wilderness, heading southwest crossing the NSW/VIC border to Cobungra, then Cobbannah, and northwest to Licola and southwest to Aberfeldy. At Aberfeldy the area heads west to Healesville, northwest past Baynton East, Drummartin to Gunbower to the VIC/NSW border and turns northeast to Tantonan, east to Bullatale, then northeast to Urana. From Urana, the area turns southeast to Bidgeemia, northeast to Barmedman, east past Bribbaree to Reids Flat, southwest to Burrinjuck, south to Yarrangobilly, then south back to Pilot Wilderness. All suburbs and towns 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: 

0253098000 to 0253098999 | 0269210100 to 0269489999 | 0357200000 to 0357369999

0253554000 to 0253555999 | 0269710100 to 0269829999 | 0357492000 to 0357495999

0259083000 to 0259083999 | 0344002000 to 0344002999 | 0357501000 to 0357791999

0259090000 to 0259090999 | 0344007000 to 0344007999 | 0357903000 to 0357991299

0259092000 to 0259093999 | 0344330000 to 0344331999 | 0358144000 to 0358144999

0259590000 to 0259598999 | 0354308000 to 0354326999 | 0358205600 to 0358339999

0259633000 to 0259633000 | 0354635000 to 0354635999 | 0358490000 to 0358490999

0260202000 to 0260760999 | 0354656000 to 0354656999 | 0358510000 to 0358885999

0260870000 to 0260879999 | 0354800000 to 0354897299 | 0359634400 to 0359637999

0263802000 to 0263868999 | 0354900000 to 0354908999

We anticipate that the majority of services will be restored by 31 May 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 Early Warning Network at http://www.ewn.com.au/alerts/. Heavy rainfall, flash flooding and damaging winds are referred to within this site for Wednesday 29 April 2020 through to Friday 1 May 2020; 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 5 May 2020 to 31 May 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 05052020-VIC-S-C-P-NORTHERN VIC AND SOUTHERN NSW_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.