Disaster support.

Storms, floods, cyclones and bushfires can cut power and damage the network. Here’s how to get ready, what to do while it’s happening, and how we can help you afterwards.

Before: get ready

• Your internet needs power. Your modem, Wi-Fi and any phone that runs over the nbn® or OptiComm network won’t work in a power outage unless they have their own battery backup.
• Keep a charged mobile and a power bank in your emergency kit, so you can still make calls and get updates if your home internet goes down.
• Have a medical or monitored alarm? Speak to the company that supplies it about how it keeps working during a power or internet outage.
• Turn on outage alerts by SMS in My Account under Notifications, and save our number, 1300 899 174, in your phone.
• Make a household plan. The Australian Red Cross has a simple plan and an emergency kit checklist, and your state or territory emergency service (listed below) has local advice.

During: stay safe and informed

• Your safety comes first. Follow the advice of emergency services and your local council.
• Stay clear of water and damage. If water has reached your modem, power points or the nbn connection box, don’t touch them, and keep away from fallen powerlines.
• Check for outages on our Network status page and in My Account.
• We’ll keep you updated. During a major outage we send updates by email and SMS where we can: when anything important changes, every six hours for the first 24 hours, then once a day until it’s fixed. See our Major or Significant Local Outage Policy.

After: getting back online

• Once the power is back, turn your modem off and on again. Our guide shows how: restart your modem. You can also restart your connection in My Account.
• Still not working? Contact us and we’ll check your service and organise a fault repair if the network or your connection box was damaged.
• Had to leave your home? If you’ve moved, even for a while, talk to us about moving your service. See Moving home.

Help with your bill

If a natural disaster makes it hard to pay your bill, please contact us before your bill is due. A natural disaster is one of the reasons you may be eligible for payment assistance. Depending on your circumstances, the options we may consider include a payment plan, more time to pay, or changing to a product that better suits you. Financial hardship assistance is free to apply for.

Read our Payments Assistance Policy and Financial Hardship Policy.

How to contact us

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech or communication difficulty, contact us using the National Relay Service. For help in your language, call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450.

More help