Telstra mobile customers in the Tamworth suburb of Hillvue can expect short breaks in coverage this week, with maintenance on the local mobile site starting on Tuesday, 3 November.
The works will run for two days. The site will need to be switched off for short periods so the work can be done safely, reducing Telstra mobile coverage in the area.
Telstra mobile customers will receive an SMS about the work.
The works will not affect NBN, satellite internet, PSTN landline services, or mobile coverage from other providers.
If the Telstra mobile network is down, compatible mobile phones will automatically try to connect to Triple Zero (000) through another available mobile network. If the first attempt does not connect within about five seconds, hang up and try again straight away. On later attempts, stay on the line for up to 60 seconds to give the phone the best chance of reaching another network.
Some medical and personal safety devices, including fall detection systems, in-room monitors, alarm pendants, and health monitoring devices, may be affected if they rely on the Telstra mobile network. Users should contact their service provider or manufacturer to check for any impacts and whether other options, such as Wi-Fi, are available.
Businesses with EFTPOS terminals that rely on the Telstra mobile network should check with their bank or EFTPOS provider whether the terminal can connect through NBN or Wi-Fi, so payments can keep going if mobile service drops out.
Telstra customers can keep making calls and sending texts during the disruption by switching on Wi-Fi Calling, a free setting on most popular phones.
Telstra said timings or impacts could change because of factors outside its control. Updates on the outage are available at telstra.com.au/outages.
More information and tips on how to prepare are available at https://tel.st/planned-work.
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