The NBN roll-out and switch off of the copper network is the catalyst for the crisis and Mr Carr offers his experience to the community as a cautionary tale.

He fears for isolated and elderly individuals trying to understand the NBN roll-out process and says “somebody will die because they will not be able to call the fire brigade or ambulance”.

“We got no advice in writing of the day the copper network would be extinguished,” Mr Carr said. “We were investigating the issue because our internet service had already been switched over to the NBN but we hadn’t signed on the dotted line (for the phone lines).”

Pharmacy dispensary technician Emma Dodds is on the front line in the battle with Mr Carr to restore phone line access to the store. She describes the process as “confusing” and shares they had “made three attempts” to try to switch to the NBN.

“It is a long process and when we get to the final bit we need Ian’s OK and so it never eventuated in us getting a purchase order in time. However, we had no recent communication that this was going to happen.”

A turf war is now being waged between the two providers with claims and counter-claims relating to line access. 

“This has just caused an incredible amount of consternation because we normally get at least 50 calls a day. There seems to be no technical way of redirecting the numbers and there is also a turf war between the people who sell the lines, the people who manage the lines and the NBN,” Mr Carr said.

“What we do know is that it could take six to eight weeks and every time we ring up we get a different story,” Mrs Dodds said.

“We are confused but the people that we ring up are more confused than us. We get told a different thing every time,” Mr Carr added.

“Why didn’t I get a call from either company to say, ‘Why haven’t you signed up? The copper network is about to be switched off.’ They’ll badger you for years and years to go from one to the other but they won’t give you a courtesy call to say you’ve got seven days.

“We just don’t want this to happen to other businesses or individuals. We are at the start of the copper network turn-off – by the end of the turn-off the whole country will be in turmoil!”

Saxby’s Pharmacy staff are working to inform their customers and local doctors of a pharmacy mobile number – 0432 572 445.

“Some people are calling (neighbouring business) Flight Centre and asking them to run in a message to us so they can get their delivery for medication,” Mrs Dodds said.

“We are concerned about our elderly community – you have little old ladies in Cundletown who get medication deliveries every fortnight who call us, but now don’t know how to reach us. These people don’t have Facebook, don’t have the internet and we fear our elderly community is not seeing the messages we are putting out there.”

Mr Carr said he had visited the Taree office of federal Member for Lyne, Dr David Gillespie to give voice to his concerns.

“You cannot have a policy of switching off the copper network, leaving people with no other means of communication without some further intervention.”