Telecom Media Advisory: Canterbury earthquake - update 5.45pm, 24 February

The Christchurch network remains affected by physical disruption and ongoing power issues, particularly in the eastern parts of the city. Telecom’s team on the ground and across the country is working around the clock to provide every support possible to Christchurch.

Telecom has now deployed around 60 generators to provide backup power to network sites still without mains power.

Telecom’s campaign to collect analogue landline phones has had a fantastic response, with around 2,000 phones already collected. Phones are being donated all over the country to be distributed to people in Christchurch without power who only have cordless landline phones which are reliant on power. These ‘old fashioned’ corded analogue phones plug straight into a jack-point and don’t require mains power. We are asking people to drop spare analogue phones in to any Telecom store during retail opening hours.

We continue to see a strong demand for the 260 free Telecom payphones. More than 10,000 calls were made yesterday and today two additional payphones have been installed at Pioneer Stadium and Burnside High School welfare centres. A third free payphone is also being shipped from Auckland.

Telecom has partnered with the New Zealand Red Cross to supply the official txt-to-donate fundraising service for the New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Appeal. Users of all New Zealand mobile networks can text 4419 to make an automatic $3 donation to the Appeal.

New Zealanders can also include a message of support for the people of Canterbury which will be publicly broadcast. To ensure 100% of the donation will make its way to the Appeal, Telecom is providing this service free-of-charge.

Telecom Retail customers can get their Telecom landline number diverted to another Telecom landline number for free. To enable this, residential customers can call us on 120 and business customers can call us on 125. To enable other network providers to offer the same call diversion assistance free of charge to their end-customers Telecom Wholesale is waiving mobile termination charges to other fixed line network operators in the circumstances and for the time period as outlined above.

REQUEST FROM CHORUS:

Chorus has asked Canterbury residents who are experiencing disruption to their landline or broadband service, to contact the company that provides their internet and phone services directly to log a fault. This will help Chorus to ascertain the true extent of network damage, enabling them to restore service as quickly as possible.

ADVICE FOR PEOPLE IN CHRISTCHURCH:

• Change your voicemail message to let callers know the time, date and their location and, if possible, alternate contact details to provide some reassurance should mobile phone batteries go flat given the difficulties with power supply.

• Minimise the use of mobile phones, and use text messages instead of calls when possible to free up the network for emergency response workers and to minimise the drain on backup batteries and generators.

• Where possible, use corded landline phones that plug directly into the wall as these do not require power.

• 260 payphones in and around Christchurch are enabled with free calling for local, national and mobile calls.

• Free WiFi spots are also available at Telecom Riccarton Mall, Café Zero (Cashmere Rd), and the Westpac Centre (Addington).

• Customers with friends or family with a prepaid Telecom mobile can call 0800 32 32 32 and top up their prepaid credit on their behalf.

For previous updates, please go to: http://www.telecom-media.co.nz/

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