MSD - 21102021-NSW-E-C-P-NORTHERN NSW_RUNL

Customer Service Advice from Optus

Delay due to severe weather in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast Districts and part of Northern Tablelands District of New South Wales.

The Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast Districts and part of Northern Tablelands District of New South Wales were impacted by severe weather on or about Monday 18 October 2021 through to Wednesday 20 October 2021. This event resulted in extensive damage to the network.

An interruption to Optus normal operations has occurred leading to delays in installation and repair activities. As many as 450 Optus services are impacted in the area bounded by and including, but not limited to, the area starting at Duranbah Beach on the QLD/NSW border following the coastline south past Byron Bay, Port Macquarie and Forster to Dark Point, then northwest to Stroud. From Stroud the area continues northwest to Barrington Tops, northeast past Nowendoc to Yarrowitch, north past Wards Mistake to Glen Elgin then northwest past Emmaville to Rocky Creek. The area heads north to the NSW/QLD border and follows the border easterly back to Duranbah Beach. All suburbs and towns, offshore 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:

0240077000 to 0240077999 | 0255942000 to 0255949999 | 0267345000 to 0267395999

0240091000 to 0240091999 | 0256060000 to 0256068999 | 0755060000 to 0755249999

0240131000 to 0240131999 | 0256112000 to 0256114999 | 0755360000 to 0755369999

0240230000 to 0240238999 | 0256116000 to 0256119999 | 0755651000 to 0755699799

0240241000 to 0240244999 | 0256200000 to 0256229999 | 0755866000 to 0755999999

0240480000 to 0240489999 | 0257131000 to 0257131999 | 0756058000 to 0756058999

0240526000 to 0240526999 | 0257324000 to 0257324999 | 0756070000 to 0756070999

0249167000 to 0249169999 | 0265370000 to 0265399999 | 0756090000 to 0756093999

0249808000 to 0249997999 | 0265500000 to 0265699999 | 0756270000 to 0756279999

0255240000 to 0255343999 | 0265800000 to 0266049999 | 0756590000 to 0756599999

0255560000 to 0255564999 | 0266180000 to 0266929999 | 0756679000 to 0756679999

0255900000 to 0255918999 | 0266992000 to 0266993999 | 0756790000 to 0756799999

We anticipate that the majority of services will be restored by 28 November 2021. 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). Damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall are referred to in the BOM Severe Weather Warning issued for 18 October 2021 initially at 2:58 pm Monday, 18 October 2021, reference number IDN21033; 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 21 October 2021 to 28 November 2021 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 21102021-NSW-E-C-P-NORTHERN 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.