Here we go again, with yet another ill-conceived idea by dreamers, not living in reality.

This (national alert) warning system based on a great idea is another doomed to fail.

It relies on everyone having a mobile phone.

This is not the case, and does not cover copper wire service.

As we have seen from past and recent fires, mobiles in many rural areas have not worked and the closing of 3G, for what looks like profit, has made reception for rural areas worse.

The most recent network crashes, of several, merely exacerbates the extent of the falsehoods of coverage maps, lack of investment, lack of technicians and people who understand the technology.

Then we have a need for an idea of what customer service is.

We seem to have the concentration of services in areas of mass profit.

The 'Black Spot Funding' is seriously dicey, were the taxpayer pays for Telstra’s infrastructure, probably to maximise the return to shareholders whilst rural areas suffer the consequences of the 'Profit before People'.

I note the party that did this almost treasonable corporatisation act, for short term profit, is laying low.

Marc Chick, Wangandary

Council rate revenue and how to spend it

Perhaps Wangaratta council could save money by not chopping down more of our ancient trees such as the latest to go, an elm on the corner of Steane and Swan streets.

That money could be off-set to recycling charges at the tip.

Win win trees and recycling.

Claire M Russell, Wangaratta

Expressing the loss of the express lane

I went to the local Coles the other day, it's the nearest supermarket to me and I often walk.

I get a few items and then walk back home, it's a good workout for my ailing body.

It would be nice if I could take a pee, but alas still no facilities on hand, still; the same old sign on the loo doors explaining it's not our fault and so on.

Yet, they can renovate the checkout lines.

Gone is the once useful express lane, where a staff member, a real person served you with a smile.

Corporations are in love with those self-serve, use your card checkouts and want them badly.

Let’s be honest, it’s about more profit.

I‘ m sure there’s some corporate spiel on their benefit to us and to mankind.

Maybe they could use this type of thinking re toilets.

Back in the day you often had to spend a penny to use the facilities.

So perhaps they will build something where you have to swipe your card to gain access to the toilet.

Maybe this will keep out the vandals.

Luke Davies, Wangaratta

Victoria expects more than compensation from Telstra

It is completely unacceptable that so many Victorians were stuck without an essential service for so long.

V/Line trains stopped because the Telstra outage knocked out both the train radio system and interfered with the backup system.

Trains are now returning to service here and across Australia, and Triple Zero is continuing its welfare checks.

But this can’t be the end of it.

Telstra should compensate Victorians and help make sure it never happens again.

To start with, V/Line will reimburse regional rail passengers who incurred extra costs.

I expect Telstra to match it, dollar for dollar.

In addition, my government will fund two days’ free travel on V/Line – more detail on all this to come.

But Victoria expects more than just compensation from Telstra.

What we really want is change.

Australians have endured too many major outages – and it’s always country people who bear the brunt.

The telcos must lift their game.

It's time they caught up with how critical their networks have become to our essential services.

Jacinta Allan, Premier of Victoria