Vector tells customers to stop using app

Thursday, 12 April 2018

Vector apologised for its app displaying out-of-date information.

Vector has acknowledged there are lessons to be learned after its app failed to cope after a massive storm.

Tuesday night's storm cut power to more than 140,000 Auckland homes.

At the height of the storm, more than 140,000 houses lost power across Auckland.

Ninety percent of customers have now had their power restored, but more than 22,000 houses are still in the dark.

In the wake of the storm, 400,000 users accessed Vector's power outage website and app to find out when their power would be restored.

The demand on the app was close to double what it was when a storm battered Auckland in January.

Since the storm, the lines company has issued 'sincere apologies' for issues with the app not displaying up-to-date information.

'We have been working to add capacity to our app and the update will be ready in time for winter. Unfortunately this storm got here before this update was ready,' the spokesperson said.

Vector had not seen the scale of the outages caused by the storm in 11 years.

'Once we get past this particular storm the app will be one of the key items on the list to address.'

The spokesperson asked customers to use the Vector website to check for any updates in their area.