Telstra puts planned upgrades on hold

Telstra has cancelled plans for proposed network upgrades previously scheduled to occur from Monday, July 26 to Wednesday, July 28.

“We’re postponing some upcoming mobile network work in Kyabram to ensure customers can remain connected during Victoria’s lockdown,” a Telstra spokesperson said.

“We still need to complete the work, so we’ll reschedule it for another time and make sure the community’s kept informed ahead of time.”

The cancellation comes after widespread disruptions in June saw network outages running for as long as 12 hours a day over multiple days.

A previous notice from Telstra stated, "Upgrade work and testing, if all goes according to plan, will be completed between July 26 to July 28. Site outages will be kept to a minimum during that period, and we anticipate to launch the improved services as soon as possible.”

Kyabram Chamber of Commerce president Dee Stagg, whose cafe´ Wickedly Deevine was impacted by last month’s outage, said another disruption during lockdown would have been disastrous.

Lockdown and mobile network disruptions each presented their own challenges to the region’s local businesses

— but combined the effect could be devastating, according to Ms Stagg.

“So many people are relying on the internet now. A lot of them are relying on their websites and click and collect. We use an app,” she said of her cafe´ .

Ms Stagg was also surprised to hear of the cancellation, as she had not been informed another round of network upgrades and associated disruptions had been planned.

“I've heard nothing,” she said.