“As we weep for what we have lost, and as we grieve for family and friends and we confront the challenge that is before us, I want us to remember who we are. We are Queenslanders. We’re the people that they breed tough, north of the border. We’re the ones that they knock down, and we get up again.”

-          Anna Bligh, QLD Premier

In light of the recent widespread flooding in Queensland, Westnet has announced a relief package for customers affected by this disaster.

Customers located in areas affected by the floods should contact Westnet directly to receive extended payment options. Any associated fees will also be waived.

In areas where customers are unable to return to their homes due to severe damage, Westnet will provide the following relief:

• Cancellation, without penalty, of the fixed line service and reservation of the customer’s telephone number for a period of three months.
• Free connection to alternative premises/accommodation while a customer’s home is uninhabitable.
• Cancellation, without penalty, of any broadband or Dialup internet service.
• Free installation of any ADSL internet service at the customer’s new premises within a 12 month period and continuation of existing contract (where relevant and with no penalty).

Westnet will do what it can to assist customers during these difficult circumstances. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this recent flooding and members can take comfort in knowing we will support them during this difficult time.

We understand phone and Internet services may not be a top priority at the moment, but we’ll do what we can to make things a little easier when the time comes to restore household and business services.

Westnet customers affected by the floods should call 1300 855 006.

It’s been mobile phones at the ready since the recent launch of our new Mobile Phone plans just before Christmas last year.

Westnet members can now get their hands on some mighty competitive Mobile plans featuring heaps of included calls, texts and data for the one low monthly cost, helping you stay connected on the move.

Our post-paid, residential mobile plans at $10, $20 and $40 per month offer:

• Very generous call and data allowances
• Unmetered access within Australia to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, eBay, LinkedIn and Foursquare
• Built in alerts when call allowances are about to be exceeded (to keep you on top of your spending)
• No contracts – take up Westnet Mobile without being locked in months on end.

If you love your current handset and want to hold on to it, you’ll be happy to know Westnet Mobile is a SIM-only product. This means you can retain your existing mobile phone and even keep your current mobile number.

On top of all this, you can also enjoy the convenience of all your internet and phone services taken care of by one provider (that’s us), with a single bill each and every month.

Head to our Mobile page for all the details on included value and call rates, or tuck into our Westnet Mobile press release.

As the NBL season heats up and the finals near, we’ve secured more tickets to games all across Australia and are looking to send Westnet members along to join in the fun.

Our relationship with iiNet – NBL’s naming rights sponsor – means we’ve picked up another set of tickets to upcoming games around the country. Here’s a list of the matches, home side mentioned first:

Round 19

18/02/11 – Sydney v Cairns (8:00pm)

18/02/11 – Adelaide v Melbourne (7:30pm)

19/02/11 – Melbourne v Cairns (7:30pm)

20/02/11 – Gold Coast v New Zealand (5:00pm)

20/02/11 – Perth v Adelaide (4:00pm)

Round 20

25/02/11 – Cairns v Sydney (7:30pm)

26/02/11 – Townsville v Sydney (7:30pm)

27/02/11 – Wollongong v New Zealand (6:00pm)

We’ve got two tickets to each of the games listed above to give away to lucky Westnet members. To be in the running to cheer on your team, simply answer the following question:

What is one of the social media sites Westnet customers receive unmetered access to, within Australia, with Westnet Mobile?

Send your answer through to newsletter@westnet.com.au with ‘NBL Tickets’ as your email subject line. Be sure to let us know the match you would like to see and include your Westnet username, full name and postal address.

Good luck!

The NBL season is in full swing and there have been some fantastic highlights in the rounds so far.

A few months ago we mentioned how iiNet has jumped on board as naming rights sponsor of the NBL, so we’re continuing our mission to make sure Westnet members are able to catch the action, too!

Our relationship with iiNet means we’ve secured a bunch of tickets to NBL games over the next couple of months. Here’s a list of matches:

17/12/2010

Round 10 – Gold Coast v Townsville (7:00pm)

17/12/2010

Round 10 – Wollongong v New Zealand (7:30pm)

14/01/11

Round 14 – Townsville v Melbourne (7:30pm)

15/01/11

Round 14 – Cairns v Melbourne (7:30pm)

19/01/11

Round 15 – Gold Coast v Cairns (7:30pm)

28/01/11

Round 16 – Gold Coast v Cairns (7:30pm)

28/01/11

Round 16 – Wollongong v Cairns (8:00pm)

30/01/11

Round 16 – Cairns v New Zealand (4:00pm)

30/01/11

Round 16 – Gold Coast v Sydney (5:00pm)

If you’d like to cheer on your team at any of the games above, simply email newsletter@westnet.com.au and tell us in 25 words or less which you’d like to see and why.

We’ll then pick the lucky winners who’ll each receive two tickets to the game of their choice.

Good luck!

If you’ve visited the Westnet homepage lately, you would have noticed the site has been given a serious upgrade.

As we mentioned in September’s newsletter, our Web Team has been working hard to develop a new-look website which is easier to navigate for existing members and those new to Westnet.

Well, the changes are complete and the new-and-improved site is now up and running. Our aim is to make Westnet’s online environment easier to navigate, with more features you can use every day.

Our revamped Westnet website now makes it easier than ever to select the right product, get hold of important numbers or documents, and learn more about the internet or Westnet in general.

We’ve also overhauled our members-only area – MyWestnet – with a simplified, easy-to-read format delivering better access to news, products and entertainment.

Make MyWestnet your homepage for convenient access to:

News – Up to date news from home and overseas. Even customise your news suit your location or interests.

Video – News, sport and lifestyle video streamed directly to MyWestnet; plus content from the Westnet Freezone.

Weather – View the weather forecast in your area by simply entering your postcode in the search box.

TV Guide – Don’t miss your favourite shows with our comprehensive TV guide covering all Australia’s free to air channels,  including rural stations GWN and WIN.

There’s also easy-to-follow links to important Westnet pages like MyEmail and the Westnet newsletter, plus simplified access to out range of products, all the important contact numbers should you need them and much more.

We’ve made a real effort to provide an improved Westnet web environment where you can click your way through our shinier, sleeker and more user-friendly online home.

Enjoy!

When Christmas decorations start making their way onto shopping centres around the country, you know the year is rapidly drawing to a close.

No doubt you’re starting to think about Christmas presents for friends and family, what kind of feast to enjoy on the day, or maybe you’re just looking forward to putting your feet up!

Speaking of which, the Westnet team enjoys a break over the holiday season too – so we’re giving our members extra early notice of our business hours across this period.

Please take a moment to jot down the times below for our Billing, Sales and Support services:

We’ll have Westnet staff on hand every day except Christmas Day, so feel free to contact us with any questions or issues during this time.

When Christmas decorations start making their way onto shopping centres around the country, you know the year is rapidly drawing to a close.

No doubt you’re starting to think about Christmas presents for friends and family, what kind of feast to enjoy on the day, or maybe you’re just looking forward to putting your feet up!

Speaking of which, the Westnet team enjoys a break over the holiday season too – so we’re giving our members extra early notice of our business hours across this period.

Please take a moment to jot down the times below for our Billing, Sales and Support services:

We’ll have Westnet staff on hand every day except Christmas Day, so feel free to contact us with any questions or issues during this time.

We’d like you to meet BoB™ – the internet and phone in one.

We’ve spent the last few weeks putting the finishing touches on a new and improved billing platform to make BoB™ available to existing Westnet members… so here he is.

BoB™ is the solution for all your phone and broadband needs, delivering great range as a wireless modem and letting you make calls with a standard phone or thanks to our Netphone service.

For just $9.95/month, BoB™ delivers a range of great features designed to make your life that little bit easier.

Here’s just a few:

• Hassle-free setup
  Just plug him in and he automatically configures himself with your Westnet broadband account and settings. All you need to do is plug the power cord into the wall and the phone cable into the wall socket

• Shiny look
  He has a modern design with black premium glass look and feel, no external antennae and is designed to be put on show in your home.

• Cheap call rates with Netphone
  Talk to friends and family with our great Netphone1 call rates, or get all your local and national calls included with Netphone2.

• Excellent wireless range
  Up to twice the wireless range of standard wireless modems – including speeds of up to 300Mbps within a 100m radius of the BoB™ base.

• A convenient recharge station
  Two USB ports to charge your mobile phone, iPod or any other USB-charge device.

Getting your hands on BoB™

If you’re keen to start enjoying all the benefits of BoB™, you’ll need to migrate to our improved billing platform first. Don’t worry – it’s an easy process you can complete from the comfort of your own home.

Here’s how you can get the ball rolling:

1. Log into your MyAccount page
2. Click the ‘Get BoB™ & Netphone’ option in the ‘Account’ tab. This will direct you to a new page confirming your move onto the new billing platform.
3. Simply follow the steps, then log out of MyAccount for 30 minutes while your account is updated.
4. When you return to MyAccount, you’ll have the option of adding BoB™ and Netphone to your existing service.

If you have any problems along the way, feel free to give our Support Team a call on 1300 786 068 for assistance.

Go on – get a bit of BoB™ in your life!