EPOS network upgrade

Licensees at EPOS LPOs may already be aware that Telstra representatives will be carrying out work at LPOs on the EPOS communications network.

POAAL has sought clarification from AP as to what work will be involved, what potential business disruption there might be, and what security exposure there might be.  POAAL emphasised that the timing of the work must be sensitive to the business needs at the LPO, for example, any network outages at 10am on a Thursday would have a much greater impact than a network outage out of hours.

The purpose of the work is to improve speed and reliability of the EPOS communications network.

AP has advised that the work will be carried out over the next six months by Telstra staff or Telstra contractors.  The Licensee will be alerted in advance of the proposed timing of the visit.  The Telstra representative will need to be on site for less than an hour.  It is hoped that there will only be a minimal "outage", and that any interruptions to the EPOS network will be for less than five minutes. The Telstra representative will perform work inside and outside the LPO.

Licensees should ensure that Telstra staff or contractors do not inadvertently (or otherwise) contribute to a security breach.  For example, ensure that the Telstra representative doesn't accidentally leave the back door of the LPO open.