Disaster relief and assistance for our WA customers during Cyclone Seroja
By Campbell SimpsonApril 12, 2021
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. Since WA’s post codes cover a few large areas, we won’t list specific suburbs or place names.
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
Campbell is the External Editorial Lead at Telstra, and is responsible for Telstra Exchange's editorial strategy and publishing. In his role, Campbell finds interesting stories from within our business and shares them in new and innovative ways. He came to Telstra after working as a technology journalist for over a decade at websites like Gizmodo, CNET and PC World, and has a longtime love of tech and gadgets. When he's not writing, Campbell spends his downtime outdoors whenever possible, hiking, camping or mountain biking around New South Wales.
Disaster relief and assistance for our New South Wales customers
By Campbell SimpsonMarch 21, 2021
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:
2360, 2361 – Inverell Local Government Area 2370 – Glenn Innes Severn Local Government Area 2400 – Moree Plains Local Government Area 2402 – Gwydir Local Government Area 2470 – Richmond Valley Local Government Area 2475 – Kyogle Local Government Area 2480 – Lismore Local Government Area 2795 – Bathurst Local Government Area
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 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
Campbell is the External Editorial Lead at Telstra, and is responsible for Telstra Exchange's editorial strategy and publishing. In his role, Campbell finds interesting stories from within our business and shares them in new and innovative ways. He came to Telstra after working as a technology journalist for over a decade at websites like Gizmodo, CNET and PC World, and has a longtime love of tech and gadgets. When he's not writing, Campbell spends his downtime outdoors whenever possible, hiking, camping or mountain biking around New South Wales.
Bushfire relief for our Western Australia customers
By Campbell SimpsonFebruary 3, 2021
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
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
Campbell is the External Editorial Lead at Telstra, and is responsible for Telstra Exchange's editorial strategy and publishing. In his role, Campbell finds interesting stories from within our business and shares them in new and innovative ways. He came to Telstra after working as a technology journalist for over a decade at websites like Gizmodo, CNET and PC World, and has a longtime love of tech and gadgets. When he's not writing, Campbell spends his downtime outdoors whenever possible, hiking, camping or mountain biking around New South Wales.
As the effects of climate change become more acute, we need to be more prepared than ever for Summer disaster season. We all know the drill to prepare our homes and the gear we need, but as more and more of us do business online, how can we be sure to keep our virtual stores open when the worst happens? We’ve got some tips.
Did you know?
Disasters impact all of us and being prepared can make things a bit easier. We’ll be running a series of blogs in the coming weeks to help you prepare to stay connected in the event you experience a disaster in your area.
Ensuring physical continuity
The NSW State Emergency Service recommends all businesses follow simple steps to ensure your business can get back on its feet quickly in the event of a disaster. The NSW SES advice also has a booklet you can fill out to ensure these plans are in place for you and your business.
The agency recommends knowing your level of risk by analysing disasters that have occurred in the area previously, before talking with your staff about these risks. These conversations with staff should result in an emergency action plan so you all know what to do ifthe worst hits.
Once the action plan is in place, prepare your business for a disaster by thinking about your equipment; stock; points of entry; essentials (such as paperwork), and how to minimise the threat to all of the above.
By having these steps in place, businesses can resume trading in a matter of days and not weeks or even months.
How can you keep your business online during a disaster?
Aussie businesses and consumers have moved online in droves in response to COVID-19 restrictions. But when disaster strikes, you may have to pivot your operations to do things a little differently in a bid to ensure that you can keep your business online.
Ensuring continuity following disasters comes from being well-prepared before the fire starts or the floodwaters start to rise.
First and foremost, work out an alternate location where you can do your business. If you get evacuated to a local shelter, check our coverage maps to ensure mobile broadband coverage in that location, and have a portable modem on standby in your business’ disaster kit.
Similarly, ensure your disaster kit is equipped with a “go-bag” of the gear you need to keep going. Equipment like portable batteries/alternative chargers as well as having the right apps and contact information on your phone is essential. We’ve got tips on how to build your “go-bag”.
Staying in touch with your customers is important, so you should ensure your communication channels are sorted out in advance. You can communicate to them via email or SMS for messages to a lot of people in a hurry, and if you consolidate your customer details into a CRM system, you’ll have it ready to go at the click of a button. Also, backup your data regularly to the cloud to ensure that if the worst should happen that your important documents are kept safe.
While we’re talking about communications, it’s also important to communicate and check in with your employees to ensure their safety before asking them to join you in the virtual office.
It’s important to consider how every part of your business – from customer acquisition through to product delivery – could be impacted by a disaster to ensure you aren’t disrupted by a disaster. For example, you might need to consider other shipment options if a disaster affects your physical location; or you may need to talk to customers a different way if you have to relocate or if you’re unable to reach them.
You should also write all of this down ahead of time so you have a simple plan to follow and you aren’t relying on memory when the going gets tough.
Keeping payments flowing
Getting paid is the most important thing for your business, especially in times of disasters.
If you have an EFTPOS machine, ensure you have a way to charge it when you’re on the go and away from mains power. Also ensure that you have a way of getting it connected to your payment provider. Similarly, ensure your EFTPOS machine has multiple ways of connecting to the internet, whether via Wi-Fi or mobile network to ensure redundancy.
It might be a good idea to have in your “go-bag” an alternative payment system, such as portable smartphone card reader or a way to take payments online. Payment providers like Square, Afterpay, BPAY, ZipPay and even direct bank transfer or PayID could be options for you to consider.
Ensuring your accounting system is backed up and portable is also important. Moving this information to the cloud can help ensure you’re keeping track of money going in and out even when the worst happens.
How we can help
Connectivity is the backbone of business in 2020, and we want to do everything we can to make sure that you’re online and open during a crisis.
During a disaster, we have assistance packages available to help, and our local stores are always on hand to answer questions face-to-face or even just provide you a place to charge your phone and/or portable batteries again.
As discussed, however, staying online during a crisis or disaster is often about being prepared ahead time. You can speak to one of our small business reps to ensure your business has the right tools in place for things like digital marketing services, cybersecurity or tech support.
It’s also important to keep an offline copy of this information. We recommend printing this information to keep on hand.
Anne Da Cunha is the Small Business Executive for Telstra. She is passionate about the Success of Australian Businesses and in developing ways that Telstra can partner with them, to ensure they get all the business and technology solutions they need to thrive and be the innovators of Australia.
Anne has a diverse commercial, channel and marketing leadership career, spanning many sectors including; Travel, Retail, Education and Telecommunications. Previous to Telstra, she was the Chief Marketing Officer for Laureate Australia, which operates Torrens University Australia and a number of innovative higher education colleges. Prior to that, Anne was General Manager of Cellarmasters, Australia’s leading direct and digital wine retailer, at Woolworths Liquor. She also has over a decade of experience in roles across multiple telecommunications organisations in the UK and Europe including; Carphone Warehouse and O2 Telefonica.
How to prepare and stay connected during natural disaster
By Dr Ben GursanskySeptember 17, 2020
There’s no question that we live in unprecedented times. But even being mindful of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we still need to prepare for natural disasters no matter where we are in the country.
First and foremost, it’s important to have an emergency plan in place before a critical incident arrives on your doorstep. That way you can quickly and efficiently evacuate and get yourself and your loved ones to safety.
When preparing, ensure you consider the following tips from our emergency toolkit. Some of these require an investment of time and planning, but some – like a non-electronic list of essential emergency contact numbers – are simple and quick enough to tackle straight away for peace of mind.
Mobile phones and portable devices
Invest in an alternative charger.
If you don’t already have one, purchase a phone charger that isn’t dependent on a power outlet. A popular choice is a ‘power bank’ battery pack that can be charged from a power outlet prior to an event and used if grid electricity is unavailable, or a portable solar panel charger or in-car charger.
Back up your data.
Store your important data, like contact information and personal photos, in the cloud using an online service. If you have an Apple or Google device, these smartphones have automatic backups that you can enable to make sure your photos are always saved.
Know your emergency numbers.
Store a list of essential contact numbers for your local Police, Fire, SES teams as well as friends and family on your phone and as a non-electronic, ideally waterproofed, backup. Make sure you include our dedicated disaster assistance number – 1800 888 888.
When you have your list of essential numbers, make sure you make a printed copy to keep in your wallet, purse or bag, and keep a version in your car as well. Power can go out for a week or longer during a disaster. Keeping a printed copy means that if your phone is out of battery and you need an important phone number, you have it handy at all times.
Consider a satellite phone.
In rural and regional areas, a satellite phone should usually be independent of any damaged infrastructure and can operate in remote locations. If your communications are critical or if you are in an isolated area, a satellite phone backup could come in handy. And if you only have one, make sure it is charged and accessible in the event you do need to use it.
Consider a repeater device.
Like any mobile network, coverage on the Telstra mobile network depends on where you are, the mobile handset, tablet or mobile broadband device you’re using, and whether an external antenna can be attached. It’s important to understand that different devices have different capabilities.
Legal network coverage extension devices amplify the network signal your mobile device receives, which extends the area that your device can work in. These devices can help you connect to the Telstra mobile network from further away than normally possible, or in areas where signal may struggle to penetrate – such as indoors, or in hilly or dense terrain.
It’s important to note that boosters are illegal to own or operate on any network in Australia, and they can disrupt or even prevent others from making calls to emergency 000.
Legal wireless network coverage extension devices, such as the Telstra Mobile Smart Antenna and Telstra Go, are also known as ‘repeaters’ as they repeat the signal from one location to another.
Since the NBN carries your home phone line, it will be unavailable during a power outage. It’s best to have a mobile phone or satellite phone handy for this instance, especially in remote areas.
Enable Wi-Fi calling.
If cellular network signal is down during a disaster, you can still use your mobile phone to make and receive calls and text messages, provided it supports Wi-Fi Calling. Wi-Fi Calling provides basic voice-calling capability on compatible devices when you’re connected to a supported Wi-Fi network and can’t connect to the Telstra Mobile Network.
A cordless fixed line phone is convenient, but remember, most cordless phones rely on electric power to operate, so you may lose the use of your landline during a power outage. A corded phone draws its electricity directly from the phone line (excluding fixed line phones on NBN) and can be used during a power outage.
Keeping in touch during disaster
Set up a virtual meeting place. If you have internet access, an instant messaging group chat with friends and family, or a social media site like Facebook or even Instagram, can give you and your loved ones extra information during a time of crisis.
Establish a calling tree. If mobile services have been impacted, find your local payphone – which is a fixed line service, and is more likely to withstand disaster impacts – and call a key contact who can then call other family and friends to inform them you’re safe.
Know your evacuation locations. Know where your local evacuation centre and emergency meeting spots are and what different routes you can use to get there as some roads may not be accessible during the disaster.
Download emergency services apps. These official apps will give you the most up-to-date information on what’s happening in your area, including natural disaster warnings.
Be alert to changing conditions. Subscribe to services that will alert you to weather changes, road closures and updates from other service providers in your area.
Use local information sources. Online, social media accounts for your local authorities and emergency services will share crucial information. Your local broadcaster will also share information over the radio – make sure you have a battery-powered radio or car radio to listen in on.
Other help you might need
Below we’ve provided a short list of some official information sources from various federal, state and territory governments that you should read if you’re preparing yourself and your home against disaster.
Government agencies for emergency response information:
Ben Gursansky joined Telstra in January 2019 as the Head of Rural and Regional Affairs. Ben is passionate about regional Australia and prior to joining Telstra has held a number of senior policy and management positions within the agriculture sector and Government spanning 20 years. This included working with Saputo Dairy Australia, Australian dairy processor Murray Goulburn Co-operative Ltd, the SA Farmers Federation Grains Council, Australian Pork Limited and in management consultancy. Ben was also a senior policy adviser to the former Federal Minister for Regional Development, the Hon Simon Crean. Ben holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Agriculture) with Honours from the University of Adelaide, a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of New England, and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the Melbourne Business School. Ben and his wife Jo have two children. In his spare time, he coaches both junior football and basketball and is a member of the St Kilda Football Club.
