hairy1:

I think that the issue is that the last backup for phone line records they had was from 2005, so all phone number transfers that have taken place since then are not in the system. I am amazed the media hasn't picked up on it.

As reported, a complex software fault began causing problems for fixed line phone services in the Pukekohe area on Thursday evening.

Rather than risk a recurrence of the suspected software fault, Telecom has used a software file from 2005 to restore service as quickly as possible to the greatest number of customers.

While this meant that most customers in the area were returned to service on Friday afternoon, those customers whose details had changed since early 2005 would not have had their dial tone restored (so they could make outgoing calls) or they could be receiving calls intended for a different phone number.

Telecom has been progressively cross-referencing data to restore full service for these customers over the weekend and this is expected to be completed by tomorrow (Monday). Telecom's priority has been to restore the ability to make outgoing calls for customers, followed by incoming calls.

Services such as call minder and voice messaging will be restored once this work has been completed.

Telecom is able to identify which phone lines have been misdirected as a result of this fault and, as per standard practice, customers will not be charged for any calls not made by them.

If customers in the area have not already logged a fault with their service provider and are still experiencing problems on Monday they should contact their service provider.

cokemaster: As you said, it was a major outage and even if they had spares - its not a simple case of just throwing them in and hoping that they work.

hairy1: Update: As of 07:07 am this morning Telecom are reporting this problem as fixed here:

TV3 Link

Our phone still gives a disconnected signal when people ring us. Our local primary school as of 09:00 am this morning still had no dial tone....

paradoxsm: Some info on old websites on the old Neax61 sigma series if anyone is really that intereted. I have a couple of partially blown subscriber linecards from them that I have played about with in times gone by.
Nippon Electronic Automatic Xchange

hairy1: Yes. I have had a ticket open with Worldxchange since Saturday for our VFX line and have had dialogue with them. The upshot is that WxC can't do anything until Telecom have completed working through the 2005 database and basically re-port our number back from the Pukekohe exchange.

I also rang Telecom faults who told me three times (because I asked them as I didn't think I had heard right the first time) that the fault with our line was nothing to do with them as we don't pay our bill to them.

Cheers, Matt.

Telecom crash still costing businesses

11:48AM Wednesday February 27, 2008

A south Auckland business says it is losing thousands of dollars a day as it waits for its 0800 number and fax line to be reconnected.

Around 10,000 landlines were cut when Pukekohe's exchange crashed on Thursday night.

A Telecom spokesman says a handful of people with newer numbers are still on hold, while most were reconnected last weekend.

Steve Rigby from OHUG Power Equipment is not one of those. He says he is shocked his problems are still not resolved. Mr Rigby says so far his company has lost around $25,000 to $30,000 in potential business deals, and is worried about the long term impact.

He says so far Telecom has only been offered around $30 credit on their bill as compensation.

- NEWSTALK ZB

hairy1: Well, the drama continues in Pukekohe. Despite Telecom telling the media on Monday that the problem was fixed it still continues. We still can't receive incoming calls. Our primary school is still without phone lines (and electricity but we won't blame that one on Telecom just yet).