TROPICAL Cyclone Alfred is a reminder to us all that we cannot be complacent when it comes to cyclones.
While the Whitsundays have dodged the worst of it this time, it pays to always be cyclone-ready during the season.
One company helping with this is Telstra, which spent months at the end of last year inspecting thousands of sites around the country, to ensure its network is as resilient as possible.
“Telstra is ready to support communities with 19 upgraded payphones across Queensland, recovery equipment on standby, and extra mobile data for customers,” Telstra Regional General Manager for Northern Queensland Rachel Cliffe said.
“We know how critical it is for Australians to remain connected during a natural disaster and, while we can’t predict what mother nature will throw at us, we’re as ready as we can be.
“If your mobile phone isn’t charged, or you’ve had to evacuate, a payphone might be the only way to contact family and friends to let them know you are OK.
“Knowing where your nearest payphone is can be a huge help in case the power goes out and you need to make a call, get online, or to charge your phone.”
Ms Cliffe said Telstra had a long history of responding to extreme weather events and the Telstra Response Team was often first on the ground, after emergency services, to assess and help restore its network.
“While our network and other infrastructure, such as electricity, can be affected during a natural disaster, we continually work to find better, faster ways to reconnect affected communities,” she said.
Payphones in the region are among 1,000 across the nation that have been upgraded, with free Telstra Wi-Fi, USB charging ports and back-up power to help keep communities connected during a natural disaster.
Last disaster season, Telstra deployed 110 new trailer-mounted, high-powered generators across Australia and have done so again this year.
These generators are part of a multi-million-dollar co-investment under the Federal Government’s Strengthening Telecommunications Against Natural Disasters (STAND) program.
“Extended power outages are often a major cause of network disruption, however the quicker our network sites are powered up, the quicker we can reconnect a community,” Ms Cliffe said.
“In preparation for this disaster season, we deployed 30 high-powered generators to at-risk areas across Queensland, with six of them based in and around Central and Central West Queensland in case our network is impacted by a power outage.
“We have back-up power systems built into many of our network sites, but these high-powered generators, along with other infrastructure such as temporary mobile towers known as Cells-on -Wheels, can help with getting people back online faster.”
This year Telstra has expanded the use of portable satellite technology with 51 Starlink satellite kits stationed across Queensland, which can be assembled in under 10 minutes and help provide basic connectivity for Telstra teams.
Last disaster season, Telstra provided short-term assistance through extra data to customers in 122 locations across Australia, with over 400,000 instances of support.
Aussies need to consider their own disaster plan and know Telstra is here to support in times of crisis.
- 100GB of extra mobile data: Customers on monthly mobile plans who live in a disaster affected area will receive 100GB of extra data – for free – without having to contact Telstra first and request it.
- Extra support for pre-paid customers: Customers on pre-paid plans are eligible for 70GB of extra data. If customers have their service registered to that postcode, they’ll receive an SMS offering disaster assistance.
- Dedicated disaster assistance team: Contact Telstra on 1800 888 888 for billing and payment support, advice on managing services if relocated or to help resolve a fault caused by disasters.
More information about these initiatives, and how communities can prepare themselves for natural disasters, can be found on Telstra Exchange.
