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

As the events of the last two years have shown us all, 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 advice to get you started.

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.