NBN Co’s Revised Strategy for Outage Notifications
Simplifying Outage Notifications
NBN Co is tackling the problem of excessive planned outage notifications by removing alerts for outages that do not occur. This strategy aims to decrease the 120,000 monthly notifications, which have become a point of annoyance for both consumers and retailers.
Tackling Retailer Issues
Retailers have voiced their displeasure regarding the substantial number of notifications and the brief notice periods for scheduled work. NBN Co is addressing these concerns by refining its notification systems for enhanced clarity and efficiency.
Enhancing Notification Precision
NBN Co is testing enhancements in how it gathers data on power outages, transitioning from unreliable website information to more trustworthy API sources. This adjustment is expected to improve notification precision and diminish unnecessary alerts.
Future Adjustments in Outage Scheduling
There are plans to decrease cancellation notifications and refine the scheduling process for works. By the first half of FY26, NBN Co intends to eliminate 1.2 million cancellation notices annually, thereby cutting down confusion and communication overload.
Extended, Infrequent Outages
The company is investigating the feasibility of fewer but extended outage periods, as favored by 64% of survey participants. This approach will initially be trialed with Hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) users to consolidate maintenance and upgrades into fewer disruptions.
HFC Enhancement Program
As part of the plant modernization upstream (PMUS) initiative, HFC users will encounter longer outage periods to facilitate simultaneous upgrade activities. If proven successful, this method will be broadened in Q1 FY26.
Conclusion
NBN Co is poised to considerably lessen the number of planned outage notifications by enhancing alert accuracy and instituting longer but less frequent outages. These modifications aim to address concerns from retailers and users, streamline communication, and ultimately improve service quality.
Q: What motivates NBN Co to reduce outage notifications?
A: The reduction is intended to eliminate unwarranted alerts for outages that do not take place, alleviating frustrations for users and retailers.
Q: How does NBN Co plan to enhance notification accuracy?
A: By placing greater reliance on API data from power providers and decreasing dependency on unreliable website data.
Q: What adjustments are planned for outage scheduling?
A: NBN Co aims to lower cancellation notices and reschedule works in a more efficient manner, lessening communication overload.
Q: What advantages will users gain from longer outage periods?
A: Extended periods aim to streamline multiple maintenance activities, thereby reducing the frequency of service interruptions.
Q: Who will be the first to be impacted by these changes?
A: Hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) customers will be the first to encounter the new strategy of longer outage periods.
Q: When are these changes anticipated to take effect?
A: The modifications are expected to be implemented in the first half of FY26.