The big update: Telco networks in Queensland

Thursday, 13 January 2011 17:15

IT Industry - Strategy

Back-up power generators, portable exchanges, cells on wheels and even an 'army' of Telstra employees are all waiting for waters to recede in order to be deployed and restore services; while thousands of citizens are waiting for communication to be re-established.

Electricity provider Energex has estimated more than a hundred thousand customers have been affected by outages, spread across the Brisbane Valley, Lockyer Valley, Caboolture, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Logan, Fassifern Valley and Ipswich. Outages are believed to be due in part to damage and in part to the provider's choice to disconnect areas at risk.

Telstra
Telstra maintains power and access to its damaged infrastructures are vital to restore its services. As of this afternoon, the telco has not managed yet to get to most of its affected exchange sites and needs to wait for waters to recede.

A document leaked this morning shows the telco has been unable to reach some 260 of its exchange sites due to flood waters. Furthermore '” according to Telstra's official updated report today '” new sites in the greater Brisbane and Ipswich areas had lost power either from damage or from the power company disconnecting the areas for safety reasons; access to those sites is still denied.

'We have portable exchanges and Cells on Wheels, which are transportable mobile base stations, that we will use where possible to have services up and running quicker,' Telstra said in its statement.

However, the telco said power had been restored to some regional areas overnight and, as waters recede, efforts will be concentrated on repairs in the Brisbane Valley, Lockyer Valley, Ipswich and Gympie/Pomona areas, where mobile towers have been affected. One of the Cells on Wheels will be allocated to the Lockyer Valley, as soon as access becomes possible.