Our Network Outage fund is available to help RSPs provide relief to people who experienced service outages through Cyclone Gabrielle. At the peak of this event, we saw disruption to approximately 50,000 end users across the Chorus network due to widespread loss of power and network damage on an unprecedented scale. 

RSPs can access our Network Outage fund by lodging an application form (see resources below) by 31 March 2023 acknowledging that they have, or plan to, provide financial support to customers experiencing service outage as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle. 

The Network Outage fund will be allocated to RSPs who make a claim, based on Chorus outage data and data usage data in the areas impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle between 13 February 2023 and the 31 March 2023.   

The amount of the rebate from the fund depends on the connection as follows:   

• For Baseband, ADSL, VDSL and Bitstream 2 services (Business and Residential): A nominal $55 per connection per month (regardless of specific plan).    
• For Bitstream 3/3a services: A nominal $200 per connection per month (regardless of specific plan).    
• For HSNS Fibre and NGA Business Premium services: A nominal $500 per connection per month (regardless of specific plan).   
• For DFAS services: A nominal $380 per connection per month.   

All these rebates will be pro-rated for the number of days of the outage for the relevant connection.   

RSPs will receive their allocation via a one-off account credit in April 2023, to the bank account nominated on their application form.   

We acknowledge that the logistics of restoring some premises, exchanges and cabinets may mean that a small number of these are not restored before 31 March 2023. In these instances, we recommend disconnecting impacted services and reconnecting them if/when the service is restored.  

How to access the Network Outage fund   

If you would like to access the Cyclone Gabrielle Network Outage fund, please sign and lodge a PDF copy of the application form (see resources below) to Recovery Fund Feedback by 31 March 2023. 

Please note: if an RSP believes our data has not captured the full extent of the customer impact and can provide data to support this claim we will consider this on a case-by-case basis. 

For any queries, please contact Hamish Buchanan.