How this issue started...
Heavy Storms shut OPTUS Down – 28 December 2023. If it does not say “resolved” at the top -here- then Shane is still fighting to get those affected decent compensation and to have the laws changed around how telcos behave in an outage.
From Shane:
“I have been told Optus has been down on south Russell – Hemp Hill, Wentworth Pde. I have been told that when people have called Optus, Optus has claimed it is not a system problem but just the caller’s problem.
I’m taking this further, please comment with the street name (don’t need a number), time out start, and duration and I’ll take it up with Optus and the telecommunication authority.”
OPTUS OUTAGE UPDATE #3 (30 December 2023)
- No progress with Optus, The Technician is still not booked to attend Russell Island and they are still providing misinformation to callers and not adhering to commitments they give
- I have received lots of contacts from residents – including where the outages are occurring, their impact and what Optus has told them
- I will prepare a summary of the issues, and contacts with Optus and note the number of people, names and streets and responses by Optus in a complaint to the Telecommunications Ombudsman. This will highlight the danger to the community of the outages, requesting changes to the customer feedback/complaints process and compensation for customers – WE WANT THIS FIXED AND MECHANISMS IN PLACE SO THIS DOESN’T KEEP HAPPENING
- I have contacted the Qld Minister for Fire and Disaster Recovery (Nikki Boyd MP), Mayor (Karen Williams) and our Federal MP (Henry Pike MP) to raise our concerns in a meeting and discuss a way forward. I will ask other residents involved in this issue to attend
- Please follow me on FB to get the most current updates and keep me posted if your connection to Optus changes or any on any other issues I should include in the complaint
- I will be posting copies of updates to my website www.shanerendalls.au and also the draft complaint to the Ombudsman as it progresses with your feedback
SUMMARY
I have been pursuing Optus regarding the outage on Russell Island since 24/12/2023. Please let me know if you have similar issues on other Islands and I will include these in the official complaint. To date:
RECAP
The Optus tower on Moreton Outlook, Russell Island has been out of service since 24/12/2023, affecting the southern end of Russell Island.
Residents complaining to Optus are being told a range of responses – it is a problem with their phone or modem, the tower was not working, technicians were on their way, etc.
On 28 December I commenced contacting Optus for advice on what was the problem and when it would be fixed. Essentially other than platitudes and misinformation provided to customers and me, nothing had been done.
I noted that the issue of regional access to telecommunication was the subject of a recent ACCC report and that Optus could move people to an alternative provider, which while not helpful to all affected Optus customers, would have helped some.
The most recent call today resulted in the following:
- Optus has still not responded to the issues identified in the first call which they agreed to respond to, two days ago
- Tried to suggest the problem was fixed as I was calling them on an Optus phone (I am not on the affected part of the Island)
- A technician still has not been booked to attend the island. This time they said a technician tried to travel to the tower but the road was closed. They backed off when asked for the technician number, where they were travelling from and which barge they were booked on
- In summary, they appear to make-up responses up to placate callers
I have also been getting a lot of feedback from residents affected on Russell Island with name, street, advice given, compensation offered (ranging from $1.73 per day to $99 to purchase an alternative provider SIM)
PLEASE KEEP…
- PROVIDING ME WITH UPDATES ON YOUR EXPERIENCE – STATE WHAT OPTUS HAS TOLD YOU
- ANY SPECIFICS RE THE STATED CAUSE OF THE OUTAGE AND WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
- ANY SPECIFICS RE COMPENSATION OFFERED
OPTUS OUTAGE UPDATE #2 (29 December 2023)
Another half hour on the phone!
- They did not get back to me as promised
- Engineers have still not visited the island to assess the tower
- Engineers have still not been scheduled to visit the Island
- Optus is giving misinformation to callers – the first contact told me a technician has been scheduled
- I continue to escalate the case up
- I am promised another call back (let’s see what happens with this one)
- I am documenting this and will be requesting call recordings to take further action
- I expect the noise we are making will get a speedier outcome BUT
- they should have transferred customers to an alternative provider (at their cost) while the outage persists
- we should be getting a decent compensation
Please keep names, streets and updates coming through. I’ll be taking this further.
OPTUS DOWN UPDATE #1 (29 December 2023)
I have spoken to Optus
- The tower is not working. One of 135 in Qld
- An engineer has not attended and has not yet booked to attend
- I referred Optus to Oct 2023, ACCC report recommending they transfer customers to another provider tower via Global roaming and that they pay the cost
- They have agreed to send updates and I will pass them on
- They have offered to refund days unusable – THIS DOES NOT COVER COSTS AND INCONVENIENCE I will be taking this up further
- They are escalating request to get an engineer to attend
- They are escalating request to fund global roaming for affected customers
- I have spoken to Henry Pike (federal MP) and we’ll keep pushing for a fix to this issue and future problems
- We’re not finished on this