Telstra Outage in Torquay: Roadworks Cause 16-Day Service Disruption
Residents and businesses in Torquay are facing a significant disruption to mobile phone services due to roadworks affecting a Telstra tower. This outage is expected to last up to 16 days. The Department of Transport Victoria confirmed that the disruption began recently as a result of construction at the intersection of Surf Coast Highway and Bristol Road.
Details of the Telstra Outage in Torquay
Communication from Telstra indicated that they were requested by a third party to deactivate parts of their mobile service in Torquay North. Many customers were only informed a day before the outage commenced. They received notifications warning of reduced mobile coverage during the ongoing roadworks.
Duration and Impact on Services
The outage is expected to significantly affect both 4G and 5G networks. Notably, all 3G services in Australia have been discontinued as of 2024, leaving users with no access to mobile data during this disruption.
The timeline provided by Telstra stated that the service interruptions would take place during the day, specifically from 7 am to 7 pm. The official dating suggested outages would occur from February 25-27 and then from March 2-8.
Areas Affected by the Outage
According to Telstra’s outage map, the service disruption pertains to regions around the intersection of Horseshoe Bend and Blackgate Roads and stretches towards Armstrong Creek. However, specific information detailing the exact locations impacted remains limited.
Alternative Communication Methods
- Landline services, NBN, and broadband will not be affected.
- All emergency calls to Triple Zero will still connect through other available mobile networks.
- Users can enable Wi-Fi calling when connected to Wi-Fi to send text messages and make calls.
Business Community Reaction
Some local businesses are uncertain about the outage’s impact. A survey conducted by the Geelong Advertiser indicated that out of 15 businesses contacted, only two were aware of the planned service interruption. Andrew Demetrius, a local business owner, mentioned he received a warning text shortly before the outage began but had not experienced any service disruption at that time.
Troubled customers have expressed concerns over reduced coverage and potential disruptions to their phone plans. This situation coincides with the Surf Coast Shire Council’s decision to lobby the Federal Government for enhanced mobile network services.
Telstra has expressed commitment to minimizing the outage time and apologized for any inconvenience experienced by its users.
