45,000 hit NBN copper cut-off deadline next week
iiNet reports that more than 6000 premises in Tasmania are among 45,000 Australia-wide that next week hit a deadline for disconnecting their copper telephone lines as part of the compulsory migration to the NBN.
On Friday, March 20, more than 3500 premises in Hobart, Kingston and Blackmans Bay and another 2500 in Newstead, South Launceston and East Launceston reach the copper disconnection deadline. This means anyone who has not placed an order for an NBN service will have their phone lines disconnected within 10 working days.
Since May last year, NBN Co has progressively announced areas in Australia that have reached the deadline for ageing copper telephone networks to be disconnected permanently as part of the move to the NBN. More than 140,000 premises throughout Australia are scheduled to hit the disconnection deadline in the first six months of this year – nearly three times as many as in all of last year.
iiNet NBN Product Manager Rachael McIntyre (above) said more than 6000 Tasmanian homes and businesses were among about 45,000 premises Australia-wide that reach the disconnection deadline on Friday next week. “This is a record month for premises reaching the copper disconnection deadline,” she said.
“Consumers need to act quickly. While phone and Internet services may not stop working on that date, they will within days, so it really is time for people to upgrade to the NBN. Households or businesses still relying on the old phone network need to choose either to switch across to the NBN or to go mobile-only.
“Already iiNet has more than 60,000 residential and business customers using the NBN, enjoying much faster Internet access speeds and competitive prices, so there’s nothing scary about making this move.”
Rachael McIntyre said people who had not yet moved to the NBN needed to make a number of decisions. “Firstly, they must choose whether they want an Internet access service, a phone service or both,” she said.
“Secondly, if they use services such as faxes, monitored security alarms, Priority Assistance Services or EFTPOS terminals, they need to speak to the providers of these services to confirm they work on the NBN.
“The third step is to select the NBN Retail Service Provider, like iiNet, that best meets their needs, in terms of product, pricing and customer service. People do need make the choice. We really want to ensure they don’t risk losing their phone and Internet service before they get the NBN connected.”
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http://www.impress.com.au/newsroom/iinet/1850-record-month-for-nbn-copper-cut-off-deadline.html
John Harris PR for iiNet
