People living and travelling through Mount Mary will now have better phone service to make calls, browse the internet and stay connected with family and friends. The new Telstra ‘small cell’ mobile base station has been turned on and has significantly improved phone service in Mount Mary.
“This investment as part of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program means that people living, working and travelling in through Mount Mary will now have mobile coverage that they didn’t have before.”
Member for Barker Tony Pasin said. In the first four rounds of the Federal Governments Mobile Black Spot Program more than 1,047 mobile base stations are being funded around Australia, with more than 800 of these already on air and providing much needed mobile connectivity to rural and regional areas.
“The improved service is thanks to our Government’s $380 million Mobile Black Spot Program, which is helping to fix phone black spots across Barker,” Mr Pasin said.
“Our Government knows how frustrating it is to be talking on the phone or browsing the internet and then lose service, so we’re getting on with the job of building more phone towers to deliver better service.
“Not only will this infrastructure make it easier for people to stay connected to family and friends, it will also make it easier to do business and access education.”
“I know that poor service in and around Mount Mary has been an obstacle to economic growth and safety, and I’m pleased to be part of a Government that can help alleviate this,” Mr Pasin said.
The new small cell base station was completed by Telstra and is the latest site in Barker to receive new or improved mobile coverage under the program.
“Our continued investment in mobile phone base stations is further proof of the Coalition’s commitment to connecting Australians, wherever they are, particularly in regional towns like Mount Mary” Mr Pasin said.
An additional $160 million in new funding for rounds five and six of the program was announced in 2019 to continue to improve phone service for people in Australia’s regions.
More information about the program is available at www.communications.gov.au/mbsp.
