Having Australia’s best network doesn’t come by accident – we spend a lot of time investing, upgrading and maintaining our infrastructure to make sure that you have the best experience possible.

To do this, sometimes we need to turn parts of our equipment off, which means you might not be able to access our network during those times. We generally try to do most of these maintenance activities at times of the day that will impact you least, but you still might get caught up in the disruption.

We’ve pulled together a few handy tips to help you minimise the impacts of these planned outages if they happen to you.

How to prepare for a network outage at home

Working, watching TV and playing video games. You could almost guarantee that at any waking moment in the day, one of these activities is happening in your home and using the internet and could be disrupted with an outage. If you do a bit of preparation though, you can make sure you can still do most of these things:

Upgrade to a Telstra Smart Modem if you don’t already have one – our Smart Modems include a 4G SIM that automatically switches and keeps you online if your main broadband network is down. It won’t be as fast as your normal connection, but will be enough to keep you online to do some work or watch something on Netflix.

If your mobile is down, WiFi should still work – If it happens to be our mobile network that’s having an outage, your fixed line connection in most case should still be online, so connect your phone to the WiFi. You can also make calls like normal and send text messages over WiFi like you would over the mobile network, too.

Download your content beforehand – If you don’t have 4G backup on your modem and there’s a planned outage coming up, most streaming services these days allow you to download content direct to your devices. So you can prepare with a few playlists of music downloaded to listen to plus your favourite TV episodes and movies to keep yourself and the family entertained.

Preparation for small business

If you’re running a business, especially one that accepts payments in person, keeping online is even more critical. There are a few things you can do though with a relatively small amount of effort to minimise the impacts of a network outage:

Always have a backup connection – If your main internet source for your business is a fixed broadband connection and your modem doesn’t have 4G backup already, it’s worth your time to have a 4G or 5G hotspot device on hand that can be used if your main network goes down. Likewise, unless your business is completely on the road, it might not be the best idea to operate only off a mobile hotspot, which could leave you with no backup if that network is down.

Keep your important contacts offline – If you store your business contacts in the cloud you won’t be able to access them if something important comes up during an internet outage. If you keep copies of your important contact saved locally, either on your computer or on physical paper, you’ll always be able to get in touch with them.

Connect your EFTPOS terminal to WiFi – By default, a lot of payment terminals run on a mobile network, but they can also connect to WiFi. By connecting your terminal to WiFi, you have a backup for it if either the mobile or fixed internet service is out. Here are a few links on how to do this for popular EFTPOS terminals:

• Westpac
• Commonwealth Bank
• NAB
• Tyro

Planning ahead helps – outages are inevitable, both planned and unplanned, and preparing ensures your business keeps on running smoothly.

As the cleanup continues from the ferocious storm in parts of Victoria, we’ve organised an assistance package for our residential and small business customers in affected areas.

A cold front brought with it wild weather and torrential rain, causing flooding in Traralgon while leaving a path of destruction through the Dandenong Ranges, Latrobe Valley and parts of the Central Highlands. The effects of this disaster are still being felt across a number of regions as residents count the cost. We’ve got an assistance package ready for those who have lost services due to the impact of the flooding, strong weather and subsequent clean-up in their regions.

While you’re doing it tough, it’s more important than ever to reach out to family and friends. We’ve activated an assistance package that gives our customers both short- and long-term measures to help out – that assistance can range from extra data on your mobile and free call diversions to a one-off credit to help cover the cost of getting a fixed phone service back up and running.

Our assistance package gives Telstra customers access to free and interim services during short-term impacts from this damaging weather, with long-term measures also available for customers who have suffered severe damage or loss of their homes and businesses.

Customers impacted by the recent strong weather conditions include those in the postcodes below:

• 3766, Kalorama
• 3767, Mount Dandenong
• 3788, Olinda
• 3877, Sassafras
• 3793, Monbulk
• 3844, Traralgon and surrounding areas
• 3869, Yinnar South
• 3870, Budgeree
• 3458, Trentham and Little Hampton

If you’re a Telstra customer living in one of the areas we’ve listed, we’ll send you an SMS with a link to request a disaster assistance package. You can also find out more about our disaster assistance packages here.

If you need a temporary diversion for a landline phone to an alternate number, or for other long-term assistance, please contact us. If you’re in a disaster-impacted area, give us a call on 1800 888 888 to speak with our disaster assistance team.

Our assistance packages for affected customers can include the following:

Short term measures (for Telstra customers who have suffered a short-term impact, evacuation or fault):

● Free use of Telstra public payphones in the affected areas

● 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

● 25GB data pack for post-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferable to another service)

● 25GB data and free calls for pre-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferable to another service)

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

● 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 incident.

● In addition, Telstra will apply a one-off credit up 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

With Cyclone Seroja making landfall and causing significant damage along parts of the Western Australia coast, we’ve organised an assistance package for our residential and small business customers in affected areas.

Cyclone Seroja has caused damage along a stretch of the Western Australian coastline including at Kalbarri and Geraldton and throughout the northern Wheatbelt region. We’ve got an assistance package ready for customers who have been evacuated or who have lost services due to the impact of the cyclone and strong weather in their regions.

We know that when you’re doing it tough, it’s more important than ever to reach out to family and friends. We’ve activated an assistance package that gives our customers both short- and long-term measures to help out – that assistance can range from extra data on your mobile and free call diversions to a one-off credit to help cover the cost of getting a fixed phone service back up and running.

Our assistance package gives Telstra customers access to free and interim services during short-term impacts from this damaging weather, with long-term measures also available for customers who have suffered severe damage or loss of their homes and businesses.

Customers impacted by the recent strong weather conditions include those in the postcodes below:

Western Australia, Mid-West and Wheatbelt regions

If you’re a Telstra customer living in one of the areas we’ve listed, we’ll send you an SMS with a link to request a disaster assistance package. You can also find out more about our disaster assistance packages here.

If you need a temporary diversion for a landline phone to an alternate number, or for other long-term assistance, please contact us. If you’re in a disaster-impacted area, give us a call on 1800 888 888 to speak with our disaster assistance team.

Our assistance packages for affected customers can include the following:

Short term measures (for Telstra customers who have suffered a short-term impact, evacuation or fault):

● Free use of Telstra public payphones in the affected areas

● 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

● 25GB data pack for post-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferable to another service)

● 25GB data and free calls for pre-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferable to another service)

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

● 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 incident.

● In addition, Telstra will apply a one-off credit up 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

As wild weather lashes the NSW mid-north coast and surrounding areas, we’ve organised an assistance package for our residential and small business customers in affected areas who have been evacuated or who have lost services due to the impact of this strong weather.

Heavy rain and storms have caused flooding and extensive damage across the mid-north coast of New South Wales. The strong weather is expected to continue to affect a large part of the state in coming days, and we’ve already seen evacuation orders in some areas reported due to rising floodwaters.

We know that when you’re doing it tough, it’s more important than ever to reach out to family and friends. We’ve activated an assistance package that gives our customers both short- and long-term measures to help out; that assistance can range from extra data on your mobile and free call diversions to a one-off credit to help cover the cost of getting a fixed phone service back up and running.

Our assistance package gives Telstra customers access to free and interim services during short-term impacts from this damaging weather, with long-term measures also available for customers who have suffered severe damage or loss of their homes and businesses.

Customers impacted by the recent strong weather conditions include those in the following postcodes and suburbs:

NSW North Coast and Mid North Coast

Sydney Metro & Greater Sydney Area

Local Government Areas around NSW

If you’re a Telstra customer living in one of the areas we’ve listed, we’ll send you an SMS with a link to request a disaster assistance package. You can also find out more about our disaster assistance packages here.

If you need a temporary diversion for a landline phone to an alternate number, or for other long-term assistance, please contact us. If you’re in a disaster-impacted area, give us a call on 1800 888 888 to speak with our disaster assistance team.

Further information on disaster assistance from the Federal Government is available on the Disaster Assist website, and from the State Government at Service NSW’s Disaster Assistance Finder website.

Our assistance packages for affected customers can include the following:

Short term measures (for Telstra customers who have suffered a short-term impact, evacuation or fault):

● Free use of Telstra public payphones in the affected areas

● 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

● 25GB data pack for post-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferrable to another service)

● 25GB data and free calls for pre-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferrable to another service)

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

● 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 disruption.

● In addition, Telstra will apply a one-off credit up 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

We’ve organised an assistance package for our residential and small business customers in WA who have been evacuated or who have lost services due to bushfires in their regions.

Updated 16 March 2021: We’ve now closed our assistance package for Western Australian customers affected by the Perth Hills area bushfires in early February 2021. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Our original article follows:

We know how important it is to reach out to friends and family during a crisis, and we want to do all we can to help. Our assistance package gives Telstra customers access to free and interim services during short-term impacts from these bushfires, with long-term measures also available for customers who have suffered severe damage or loss of their homes and businesses.

Bushfires burning across the Perth Hills area in WA have damaged some homes and forced some residents to evacuate. Customers impacted include those in the following postcodes and suburbs:

6056 – Baskerville, Bellevue, Boya, Greenmount, Helena Valley, Herne Hill, Jane Brook, Koongamia, Middle Swan, Midland, Midvale, Millendon, Red Hill, Stratton, Swan View, Viveash, Woodbridge

6069 – Aveley, Belhus, Brigadoon, Ellenbrook, Ellenbrook East, The Vines, Upper Swan

6081 – Parkville

6083 – Gidgegannup, Morangup

6084 – Bullsbrook, Chittering, Lower Chittering

6558 – Wooroloo

6560 – Wundowie

If you’re a Telstra customer living in one of the areas we’ve listed, we’ll send you an SMS with a link to request a disaster assistance package. You can also find out more about our disaster assistance packages here.

If you need a temporary diversion for a landline phone to an alternate number, or for other long-term assistance, please contact us. If you’re in a disaster-impacted area, give us a call on 1800 888 888 to speak with our disaster assistance team.

Our assistance packages for affected customers can include the following:

Short term measures (for Telstra customers who have suffered a short-term impact, evacuation or fault):

● Free use of Telstra public payphones in the affected areas

● 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

● 25GB data pack for post-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferrable to another service)

● 25GB data and free calls for pre-paid mobile customers (30 day expiry, not transferrable to another service)

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

● 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 fire.

● In addition, Telstra will apply a one-off credit up 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