Payphones and battery packs: telco tips on how you can stay connected during Cyclone Alfred

Optus has lost access to 45 of its mobile towers as Cyclone Alfred causes blackouts, and Telstra is urging customers to use payphones. Here’s a storm phone coverage guide.

Gold Coast starting to feel the wrath of Cyclone Alfred, lurking just off the coast. Main Beach bears the brunt of Cyclone. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Optus has lost access to 45 of its mobile towers in Queensland and northern NSW as Cyclone Alfred causes blackouts across the two states, while Telstra is encouraging customers to use payphones to stay connected.

Already, more than 84,000 homes and businesses on the Gold Coast and Northern NSW are without electricity – and could be cut off for up to a week – after it became too dangerous for crews to repair power lines.

Australia’s biggest telcos are sandbagging their mobile towers with batteries and diesel generators on standby to help ensure most residents in Queensland and northern NSW can stay connected this weekend.

Telstra is urging customers to use payphones, which are free to use and have free Wi-Fi, to stay connected during Cyclone Alfred. Picture: Alan Barber

But the cyclone has already caused damage, with Optus confirming that 45 of its mobile sites have lost connection from blackouts.

“The safety of our customers and employees are of the utmost importance as we work as quickly as possible to restore services,” Optus said.

“Optus is working with our field operations teams on the ground to ensure the cyclone’s impacts on services are minimised wherever possible.”

But emergency calls to triple-0 on mobile networks during power outages should work if another carrier is available, Optus said.

Telstra regional general manager Michael Marom said extended power outages often triggered network disruption, and while the telco had backup supply to keep its sites running “as long as possible” it also urged customers to think ahead.

Crowds check out the surf at the Gold Coast. Picture: Adam Head

He said customers should back up data, download emergency apps, ensure their phones are charged – or buy a portable charger – and save important numbers.

If all else fails, Mr Marom urged people to locate their nearest payphones, which are free to use and also have free Wi-Fi.

“We have a long history of responding to extreme weather events and our people are often first on the ground after emergency services to assess and bring our network back online,” he said.

“Ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, we’re constantly assessing at-risk areas as well as moving temporary power generators into staging locations where they’re ready to be deployed quickly.”

TPG’s major network sites are equipped with automatic power switches and have battery backup – which it recently tested – to keep towers running for up to 48 hours if mains electricity is cut off.

It also recently completed an electrical infrastructure upgrade between Brisbane and Melbourne to boost network resilience. Large standby generators are in place at key sites, and TPG says it has a redundancy plan to reroute mobile traffic if needed.

“As Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches, our priority is to keep our customers and communities connected. We have taken proactive steps to ensure the resilience of our network, and we’re ready to respond to any disruptions caused by this weather event,” TPG spokesman Mitchell Bingemann said.

“While our networks are built to be as resilient as possible, natural disasters often cause power outages which can then affect nearby communication networks. We encourage communities and customers to have a plan to stay connected which includes having phones charged, saving emergency contact details and knowing evacuation routes.

“We’ll continue monitoring the situation closely and are ready to respond where needed.”

NBN Co has deployed mobile satellite kits across Brisbane.

NBN Co has also deployed fixed wireless generators across almost 30 locations, as well as portable satellite kits across Brisbane.

Part of being safe is being able to stay connected during emergencies,” NBN spokeswoman Kylie Lindsay said.

“That’s how people get information, that’s how emergency services work together to respond and help communities recover.

“We’ve done as much as we can to mobilise our field workers and temporary network infrastructure throughout Brisbane, as well as the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and Northern NSW.”