Interim compensation arrangements for small business customers

Media Release, 07 December 2012

Following customer feedback at last night’s town hall meeting in Warrnambool, Telstra’s area general manager Bill Mundy today announced that small business customers impacted by the exchange fire will be able to apply for interim compensation payments.

“We understand the difficulty the exchange fire has brought to the community and business customers across the district,” Mr Mundy said.

“We have listened to the feedback on our compensation process and we are working hard to make it as practical as possible by introducing an interim payment process. 

“This will make it easier for customers with short term financial challenges to obtain part-payment of compensation quickly for those losses that they can quantify now, whilst still allowing claims to be submitted for future losses.”
These improvements to the claim process and guidelines are expected to be finalised by early next week.

“The team in Warrnambool is continuing to work hard to finalise restoration efforts and help the community overcome any set back caused as result of this incident. I am extremely proud of the work they are doing and the support they are getting from the local community.

“Restoration efforts continue.  Overnight technicians made solid progress in connecting services. We now have 96 per cent of landline phones repaired and 94 per cent of internet services back in service. This is in addition to all mobile services”.

This means there are now fewer than 3,000 fixed line services and under 1,000 internet services, predominantly in Warrnambool, remaining to be connected and technicians will be connecting them one by one as cabling and equipment installation work is finalised.

The claim process, announced last week, is for Business customers. Forms for interim payments related to claims will be available early next week. Customers with claims under $1000 or who know what their total claim is can download a claim form from www.telstra.com.au/exchangefire or call 1800 008 979 from 8am to 8pm AEDST to have the claim form posted to them or to get advice on ways to make the claim.