Narrabri Telstra outage compensation offer angers business owners

Marval Designs' Martina Boyle and Sober in the Country's Shanna Whan were offered $3.50 per day to compensate for not being able to use Eftpos, receive or make calls, or use the internet.

"It's absolutely disgusting ... [we] lost so many sales this week especially with people trying to purchase sales over the phone due to #buyfromthebush. Such a massive loss that we cannot afford in this drought," Ms Boyle said.

"No wonder businesses are closing the doors... there is no help for us in any way."

Ms Whan said Telstra's customers were "treated with absolute contempt".

"At the end of the day we all know that if we miss a payment or are late there are instant penalties and threats and yet they simply do not afford the same courtesy to customers," she said.

"People don't think to challenge these enormous companies because it's so hard to get help, and to get a result, and you've wasted even more income and time and energy and ... you're spending two hours on hold with no resolution.

"The people in charge have to be held to account ... and they've got to know that they can't keep continuing to do this to people.

"It's blatant corporate negligence."

JE and AG Brown Mechanical Repairs' Mandy Brown said they had to let customers go without paying because their Eftpos was down.

"We could end up out of pocket thousands of dollars if they decide not to come back and pay it," Mrs Brown said.

"It's hard to say 'you can't take the car because you can't pay' because it's not our fault or theirs.

"It was horrendous."

When Telstra was asked if it would offer more than $3.50 per day, regional general manager Mike Marom said compensation was offered on a "case-by-case basis".

"Telstra customers who believe they have a case for compensation due to the recent mobile outage are encouraged to call 13 22 00 and request a compensation pack," Mr Marom said.