Some Queenslanders got a first-hand experience with daylight savings time Wednesday morning due to a technical glitch by telecommunications company Optus.
Those in southern Queensland woke up an hour earlier than expected due to the clocks on their mobile phones moving an hour forward. The glitch started early this morning and was resolved around 7 a.m. local time, an Optus spokesperson told Mashable.
But it was too late for many residents, who used the spare hour to get on Twitter and complain about the early rise and the horrible impact it had on their lives. Daylight savings time is observed in Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory, where clocks are moved forward an hour in the warmer months, but not in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Me right now #optuswrongtime pic.twitter.com/XrnRsUlpqR— Yolanda (@heylandy) January 13, 2015
The hard slog at work this morning thanks to #optuswrongtime pic.twitter.com/cW0ju2scBU— Penny Dahl (@Pennycopter) January 13, 2015
.@Optus I hope you're prepared to replace a whole lot of extra-faded curtains in SEQ this morning. #optuswrongtime— Marty (@martysomething) January 13, 2015
I had three cows turn up for milking an hour early... and now the curtains are all faded. :( #optuswrongtime #qld— Ben Thorn (@shokupanjamin) January 13, 2015
#optuswrongtime holy shit Optus cured all Brisbane traffic problems with the touch of a button #awesome please do it more often— GregW (@gregwitherall) January 13, 2015
did anyone else take their birth control and get to work an hr early this morning? #optuswrongtime— Tommy (@Origamiroadkill) January 13, 2015
Even Queensland Police got in on the early morning action.
Unusual amount of traffic on Qld roads early this morning. It's almost like some people are up an hour earlier than normal? #optuswrongtime— QPS Media Unit (@QPSmedia) January 13, 2015
Meanwhile, some non-Optus users sent out smug tweets.
I mean analogue clocks, sun position, non-Optus people. There are many things out there you can observe rather an an iPhone. #optuswrongtime— Ashley Nielson (@AshleyN_Asheroo) January 13, 2015
#optuswrongtime don't ever just trust your phone for the time #useawatch #useaclock— Kenneth Webb (@kennethw) January 13, 2015
I got 99 problems but #optuswrongtime ain't one.— H.R. Pupnstuf (@shadowrunnerth) January 13, 2015
The long, heated debate over daylight savings in Queensland -- many argue 'no' due to longer hot days, many argue 'yes' due to more daylight hours -- has been put to rest by Optus, who accidentally showed the state how horrible it feels to be up bright and early.
The company told Mashable it was a technical issue on one of the mobile switches in one of the exchanges in the capital city of Brisbane. It has now been resolved so customers do not need to do anything to correct the issue, besides get a bucket of coffee.
"We'd love to say it's a great opportunity to get up early and go for a jog, but it is an inconvenience," a spokesperson told Fairfax radio. Optus apologised to bleary-eyed customers.
Though some had clearly gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.
Dear @Optus , Fuck you. Sincerely, everyone who was woken up an hour early. #optuswrongtime— Regina Copeland (@reggie_lurve) January 13, 2015