Telstra assistance package for customers affected by Coonabarabran fires

Media Release, 15 January 2013

Telstra today announced an assistance package for its residential and small business customers in the Coonabarabran area who have lost services as a result of the current fires.

Telstra Country Wide Area General Manager, Tricia Wilson, said Telstra was still waiting to fully assess damage, although there appeared to be minimal impact to key infrastructure.

Although encountering some damage, the Yearinan exchange is operating on battery power.

With fires still burning in the Warrumbungles National Park, Telstra will continue to monitor other key communications infrastructure supporting the region.

“Our technicians will work to fully recover any communications services which had been impacted just as soon as they have the all-clear to safely go in to the fire zones,” Ms Wilson said.

Ms Wilson urged customers to call Telstra on 132 203 to report a fault and register for the assistance package if they had lost their home.

 “We understand this is a difficult time for anyone who has been affected by these fires and hopefully this package will help people as they work through this incident,” Ms Wilson said.

Telstra's relief packages are determined by the nature and scale of the specific event and can include:

Short term measures (for Telstra customers who have a short term impact or temporary evacuation)

  • Free use of Telstra public payphones in the affected area
  • Free call diversion from an affected fixed home or business phone service to another fixed or mobile service of the customer's choice, regardless of the carrier
    Customers who use the free call diversion to divert their affected fixed home or business phone to their Telstra mobile service, can also make local and STD® calls on their mobile at fixed line rates, in accordance with their selected HomeLine® or BusinessLine® plan (limited to one designated Telstra mobile per affected household or business)

The above offers are applicable until network damage in the area due to the natural disaster is repaired, or while customers remain evacuated, for a maximum period of 3 months from the date of the natural disaster.

Affected Telstra mobile customers who do not have a Telstra home phone can receive a one off credit to the value of $100 inc. GST (limited to one mobile phone per Telstra mobile account).

Long term measures (for Telstra customers who have suffered severe damage to or loss of their premises e.g. fire):

Fixed Services

  • Cancellation of a Telstra fixed phone service at the affected address, with free number reservation for up to 12 months from the date of the natural disaster.
  • Free call diversion from the customer’s Telstra fixed phone service to another Australian fixed or mobile service of their choice, regardless of the carrier. This offer is applicable for a maximum period of 6 months from the date of the natural disaster.
  • Customers who use the free call diversion service to divert their affected Telstra fixed phone service to their Telstra mobile service, can also make local and STD® calls from that mobile service at fixed line rates, in accordance with their selected HomeLine® or BusinessLine® plan (limited to one designated Telstra mobile diversion per affected Telstra fixed phone account).
  • In addition, Telstra will apply a one off credit to the value of $500 inc. GST to the customer’s Telstra fixed phone account to help cover the costs of the following, if required:
  • connection of a Telstra fixed phone service at one temporary residence
  • re-connection of a Telstra fixed phone service at the customer’s original permanent premises
  • number reservation
  • additional call charges.

 BigPond® Services

  • For Telstra residential and small business customers who do not wish to retain their BigPond service at an affected address:
  • disconnection of the affected BigPond service without the requirement to pay any applicable early termination charges or fees, as well as an email address reservation for up to 12 months from the date of the natural disaster
  • connection of a BigPond service at an alternate residential or business address without any connection charges within a 12 month period beginning from the date of the natural disaster.
  • For Telstra residential and small business customers who wish to retain their BigPond service at a temporary alternate address, Telstra will apply a one off credit to the value of $110 inc. GST to the customer’s account to help cover the costs of the following:
    • move of a BigPond service to a temporary alternate address
    • move of a BigPond service back to the customer’s original address.
  • For existing Telstra Mobile Broadband residential and small business customers – free replacement of the modem or USB device if required.

Ms Wilson said Telstra was working to repair faults caused by other fires in NSW and urged affected customers to call Telstra on 132 203 to report outstanding issues.

“To register for the package, customers should call 132203 and choose option 1 (there are 4 options), then enter their home phone (landline) number when prompted,” Ms Wilson said.