Copper network backlog at crisis point

Communication Electrical Plumbing Union (CEPU) NSW/ACT Assistant Secretary Shane Murphy said maintenance and waiting time figures obtained by the CEPU show Telstra’s chronic underinvestment in maintenance and repairs is catching up with them.

“Over the past eight weeks we have seen faults and waiting times blow out,” Mr Murphy said.

“In Townsville alone, 251 households and businesses have been waiting a month for internet and phone services,” he said.

“Overall, some Telstra customers have been without telephone or internet services for many weeks as the Telstra Copper Network fails due a chronic underinvestment in network maintenance.

“There are thousands of plastic bags holding cable joints together and thousands of cables laying bare with wires exposed in pits and manholes across the country.”

Mr Murphy said the company’s attack on its technicians working conditions is having a severe impact on customer service

“Nowhere are reliable communications services more important than in regional areas. This is bad for families, bad for businesses and bad for our hardworking members who’d rather do the job right once.

“Our Telstra field workers are fed up with not being able to provide a decent and permanent repair to Telstra customers with many members reporting of having to return to the same customer job due to the poor state of the Copper Network.

“There is a huge backlog of faults in the system that customers are waiting to be fixed, This is the same plastic bagged Copper Network Abbott and Turnbull now call the NBN.

“It’s a fraud. Australia was promised an NBN of fiber and speed. Turnbull’s copper is made of plastic bag’s and Telstra’s greed.

“Today I’m calling on Telstra to put on the resources to clear this backlog. Our members are ready to work and do the job right. Telstra’s customers deserve better,” he said.

The CEPU will shortly begin a roadshow of regional areas to discuss the state of the network.