Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Dr Peter Hendy MP, has welcomed funding to address 59 mobile phone blackspots across the electorate.
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In the Eurobodalla, black spots at Batemans Bay, Bingie, Bodalla, Central Tilba, Clyde Mountain, Corunna, Dalmeny, Long Beach, Moruya, Mystery Bay, Nelligen, Tilba Tilba, Turlinjah, and Wallaga Lake will all be addressed.
Under the Coalition Government’s $100 million mobile blackspot program, 17 new or upgraded base stations will be funded servicing areas across Eden-Monaro, Dr Hendy announced today.
“This is a great outcome for Eden-Monaro, with a total of $8.52 million to be invested on new or improved mobile coverage in the area,” said Dr Hendy.
“In Eden-Monaro we had 148 black spots nominated by local residents to be eligible for new or improved mobile coverage under the Mobile Black Spot Program, and today’s announcement will see 59 of those mobile black spots receive coverage.”
In addition to the $100 million in Commonwealth funding for the first stage of the program, a further $60 million in funding has today been announced for Round 2.
“I have been very busy over the last few months building support through a petition and listening posts to address the issue – in the Bega Valley, up and down the Eurobodalla Coast, across the Monaro and high country, and around the Capital region.
“The message has been clear; the $100 million Mobile Phone blackspot program is a great start, but after six years of no action and no plan by Labor, we need to do more.
“The experiences and personal stories of people across the electorate, and my petition have helped me make a strong case for continued funding for the Mobile Blackspot program.
“I am very pleased that funding for a second round of the Mobile Black Spot Program has been secured,” Dr Hendy said.
Round 2 of the Mobile Black Spot Program, and Telstra’s commitment to build 200 new 4G mini base stations, will offer further opportunities to meet unmet demand and provide coverage to more locations around regional and remote Australia.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher said that the outcome of the Mobile Black Spot Program had significantly exceeded expectations.
“Almost 500 new or upgraded mobile base stations will be built across regional and remote Australia, covering a total of 3,000 mobile black spots from the more than 6,000 black spots nominated by the public,” Mr Fletcher said.
“The Mobile Black Spot Program has successfully leveraged significant co-contributions from State and local Governments, mobile carriers, and third party organisations, bringing the total funding amount to over $385 million,” Mr Fletcher said.
“The Program has delivered substantial competitive benefits, with both Telstra and Vodafone granted funding to build new or upgraded base stations. In addition, the mobile network operator selected to build a base station must give the other mobile network operators the opportunity to co-locate on that base station,” Mr Fletcher said.
“Today’s announcement to invest an additional $60 million of Commonwealth funds means that the work done under the first round of the Programme – in identifying priority locations, engaging with the mobile network operators Telstra, Optus and Vodafone and other industry participants, developing guidelines for a competitive selection process, and in canvassing local councils and state governments for their support – can be leveraged to allow the next round of funding to be deployed efficiently,” he said.
Under Round 1 of the Mobile Black Spot Programme, a database of 6,221 locations around Australia was developed, being locations nominated by Australians as needing improved mobile coverage. This database was the starting point for the competitive selection process under which the mobile network operators were asked to nominate sites where they would build new or upgraded base stations to serve the black spot locations nominated by the public, and the Government chose from the sites nominated by the mobile network operators using a ranking process specified in the guidelines.
The Government will re-open the database allowing members of the public to nominate further locations in outer metropolitan, regional and remote Australia which do not have mobile coverage. Nominations can be emailed to mobilecoverage@communications.gov.au
The first base stations to be funded under the Programme will begin to roll out in the second half of 2015, and the full roll out will continue over a three year period.
A map of locations which will receive new or upgraded coverage under the first round of funding under the Mobile Black Spot Programme is available from http://nationalmap.gov.au/
NSW Government joins blackspot program
Member for Bega Andrew Constance this week announced the NSW Government will fix 795 mobile phone blackspots in regional communities to make it easier for residents to stay connected.
Mr Constance said communities in the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Shire’s including Towamba, Nethercote, Bodalla, Nelligen and Central Tilba will benefit from new mobile network towers, to eliminate some of our worst local blackspots.
“Today’s announcement delivers a key election commitment for residents who deserve a first class mobile coverage, which is critical for people living outside major cities who need access to emergency services.
“The installation of the new mobile network towers is so important for regional communities such as ours,” Mr Constance said.
Minister for Regional Development John Barilaro said the combined Commonwealth and NSW Government investment is the greatest increase in mobile network coverage to metropolitan, regional and remote communities delivered by a single public funding programme in the history of Australian mobile communications.
“The NSW Government’s investment of $24 million, along with $28 million of Federal Government funding and a contribution from the networks, will result in a total investment of $92 million,” Mr Barilaro said.
“We will deliver 144 new or upgraded mobile base stations that will cover more than 14,000 square kilometres to benefit businesses and residents across regional NSW.”
Mr Constance said, I am pleased that the NSW Government has worked closely with the Commonwealth Government to maximise the amount of funding available – which will in turn maximise the impact of this Programme to provide new and improved mobile coverage in our local communities that need it most.”
The investment will improve coverage along major transport routes, in small communities and locations prone to experiencing natural disasters, with funding to be rolled out over a 3-year period. A map of locations is available here www.communications.gov.au/mobile_coverage
Mayor welcomes mobile blackspot funding
Eurobodalla Mayor Lindsay Brown has congratulated local members Peter Hendy and Andrew Constance on their efforts to improve mobile phone coverage in Eurobodalla.
Announcements that the Mobile Blackspot Programme will fund construction of 144 new or upgraded mobile base stations in NSW and fix mobile phone black spots in Bodalla, Nelligen and Central Tilba have been welcomed by Clr Brown.
The Mayor said Eurobodalla Shire Council has been lobbying hard for some time to see key mobile coverage blackspots eliminated around Eurobodalla.
‘Today’s announcement is terrific news and I thank Peter Hendy and Andrew Constance for recognising that regional communities deserve first class mobile coverage.’
Mr Constance announced the $92 million investment for NSW today, saying it will be rolled out over three years with contributions of $24 million from the NSW Government, $28 million from the Australian Government and the remainder from the mobile networks.
Clr Brown said the partnership between State and Federal governments and the private sector is a progressive move towards improving the lives of regional Australians.
“I am very pleased that our lobbying has been so successful and I offer my personal thanks to Dr Hendy and Mr Constance, along with the members of our community who helped us achieve this fantastic outcome for the Eurobodalla.”