Telstra | January 12, 2011 | Press Release
Telstra today announced an assistance package for its residential and small business customers across New South Wales* who have been evacuated from their homes or whose phone services have been affected by the recent storms and flooding.
Under Telstra’s assistance package, Telstra offers customers who report a temporary loss of their Telstra service due to natural disaster:
- Free call diversion from their fixed service to a fixed or mobile service of their choice;
- For Telstra customers who have diverted their fixed line phone to their Telstra mobile, mobile calls charged at home line rates as per their selected HomeLine plan for local and STD calls (limited to one designated Telstra mobile per affected household or business).
These offers will continue until the network damage in the area has been repaired. To report a fault and access these offers, customers should contact 13 22 03.
Telstra Country Wide General Manager for North Coast New South Wales, Ms Sue Passmore said Telstra technicians continue to work to fully recover all communications services impacted by flooding in the affected areas.
“Telstra’s core network has held up well. The largest impact to Telstra’s network has been caused by a loss of power. Where possible, alternative power sources have already been activated for Telstra sites without mains power.
“One of the biggest issues we’re facing is the damage caused by flood water. In some cases we simply cannot gain access to sites to repair damage and will have to wait for flood waters to recede so we can safely access some parts of the network,” she said.
While flood waters are receding in some areas, support is still available for Telstra customers whose phone services have been affected by the floods and storms.
Ms Passmore encouraged customers to call Telstra on 13 22 03 to report a fault and register for the assistance package if their phone service had been affected by the floods and the storms.
“We are experiencing an increase in the number of customers who have problems with their fixed phone line because of the flooding and while we are maximising the use of people in our call centres, there may be some delays when calling to report a fault,” she said.
“We ask our customers to be patient during this time, and assure them we are doing everything we can to get them back online as quickly as possible.”
*The assistance package is available to Telstra customers in Nana Glen, Glenreagh, Upper Orara, Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Thora, Dorrigo, Urunga, Bowraville, Macksville & Nambucca Heads, Coutts Crossing, Nymboida, Copmanhurst, Jackadgery, Grafton, Ulmarra, Tucabia, Pillar Valley, Brushgrove, Tyndale, Maclean, Lawrence, Palmers Island, Yamba and Iluka, Tabulam, Bonalbo, Mallanganee, Casino, Kyogle, Urbenville, Woodenbong, Coraki, Woodburn, Lismore, Nimbin, Bexhill, Billinudgel, Ocean Shores, Mullumbimby and Wilsons Creek.
Media contact: Sue Passmore 0266259011
