The regional telecommunications company’s foresight demonstrated how Telstra left itself so vulnerable with no viable back-up.

When fire destroyed vital equipment in the regional exchange early on November 22 it cut off 65,000 landlines, 15,000 broadband customers and more than 80 mobile phone towers across the entire south-west.

However, Aussie Broadband, which has fibre-optic landline connections into the exchange, was able to divert on its alternative route through a wireless tower in Warrnambool and a series of microwave dishes to its main hub in Melbourne.

“Our major customers including Wannon Water and Warrnambool Cheese and Butter barely missed a beat,” national sales manager Aaron O’Keeffe told The Standard.

“The system immediately switched all traffic over to our alternative network.

“Our shareholder directors made an investment decision a year ago to install a back-up costing multi-million dollars.

“It was simply a precautionary step and we wondered if it would ever pay off.” 

Mr O’Keeffe said although the wireless back-up network did not have the same outright capacity as landlines it handled the load well. Most ADSL lines were repaired by the company’s technicians last week and the service is almost back to full capacity.

“Our major clients were very appreciative of the fact they did not lose communication links and we have also gained new customers including medical clinics and legal offices,” he said. 

“We were also able to put in a phone service for Warrnambool Cheese and Butter via its internet link  soon after the blackout.”

Aussie Broadband was formed in 2006 through a merger of the former Warrnambool-based Westvic Broadband and Wideband Networks in Gippsland. Most of its shareholders live in the south-west.

Mr O’Keeffe said Aussie Broadband was the second largest provider of fixed broadband services in western Victoria.