Computerworld

Telstra admits to regular NextG 3G network issues

"Localised issues" occuring at any give point in time, Telstra says
  • Tim Lohman (Computerworld)
  • 09 November, 2010 16:03

Telstra has conceded that at any given moment its NextG 3G mobile network is suffering from technical issues somewhere in Australia.

The admission follows a Twitter post from its customer service agents to ABC journalist and Lateline host Leigh Sales following her reporting of issues with her Blackberry.

“Is anyone else having trouble with their Telstra network today? Calls can't get through, can't get to voicemail etc etc,” one tweet reads.

“I'm having a lot of trouble with my blackberry today - network constantly dropping out etc - is it a general thing?” read another.

“Interesting - a few people are telling me if you need service from telstra or optus, tweet first, that they're quicker that way,” Sales’ tweet on her experience with Telstra reads.

The Telstra customer service agent had informed Sales that there were “a couple of localised outages in Sydney.”

Responding to Computerworld Australia's enquires about its 3G mobile network, a Telstra spokesperson claimed in an emailed statement that there were no issues with Telstra’s network, but that issues were a regular occurrence.

“That's just a standard line [ie, “localised outages"] - at any point in time with a network of our size there will be minor localised issues,” the response reads. “There is nothing of significance in Sydney at the moment.”

Telstra’s admission on the state of its network aside, the interaction with Sales also highlights the growing need for organisations to engage with customers via social media.

Just this month the Department of Human Services said it would shortly deploy a tailored social media monitoring tool with an aim of better listening and respond to conversations concerning the department’s offerings.

The tool, developed for the past year in-house in collaboration with CSIRO, is currently in testing but will soon be deployed for all staff across the department’s individual agencies, including Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support. It will replace the free Google Alert and Social Mention media monitoring applications currently in use by staff.

In July CIOs were also advised by Forrester that social networking was one the top areas CIOs need to be looking at in order to lift the online retail experience of consumers.