First Tasmanian Mobile Blackspot sites now live

• Most sites to be completed by end of 2017.

The community of Eggs and Bacon Bay is the first in Tasmania to benefit from new Telstra mobile coverage under the Federal Government’s Mobile Blackspot Program (MBSP).

The town, in the Huon Valley, is among 14 Tasmanian locations selected under Round One of the MBSP that will soon benefit from new mobile coverage. Nationally Telstra is building 577 mobile base stations under the MBSP through more than $486 million of co-investment across remote and rural Australia.

Telstra Tasmania Area General Manager Michael Patterson said the local and national rollout of new mobile base stations is ramping up.

“Telstra is a proud long-time member, service provider and employer in the Tasmanian community, and we know that increased coverage is the number one priority for people and businesses in regional Australia,” Mr Patterson said.

“Expanding mobile coverage opens a wealth of digital doors for these regions.

“Locals in Eggs and Bacon Bay can now talk or video call with loved ones and customers, while visitors can upload photos and videos of the picturesque bay using Telstra’s new high speed coverage.

“We have also activated four innovative 4G small cells in other Tasmanian locations to ensure more of our regional areas can access fast mobile broadband.

“Our rollout in Tasmania ramps up from here. We expect to activate the majority of sites in the State approved under Round One by the end of the year, delivering new, state of the art mobile technology to thousands more Tasmanians. We also expect to integrate another three sites selected under Round Two into our schedule soon.

“Significant work has been occurring behind the scenes, including design planning, community consultations, the formulation and development of planning applications and working with local councils to get the best outcome for everybody.”

Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz said: “The Government has partnered with the local community and Telstra to fix mobile black spots right around Tasmania and I am delighted to have switched on this new tower which will be of huge benefit to the local community,” Senator Abetz said.

“One of the biggest issues for rural and regional Tasmanians is access to reliable mobile services. That’s why the Tasmanian Liberal Senate Team has been working closely with the Minister to secure new mobile towers like the one we’ve turned on today.”

Mr Patterson said Telstra was committed to the further rollout of the MBSP.

“We celebrated the activation of our 100th mobile base station nationally under the MBSP just over two weeks ago. In that short period, we’ve activated another 11 mobile base stations, bringing our 3G and superfast 4GX coverage to even more communities that previously had none.

“The success of the MBSP demonstrates that the current regulatory settings combined with public and private co-investment is the most effective way to expand mobile coverage in regional Australia.”

In Tasmania Telstra is building 14 mobile base stations funded under the MBSP at:

The first mobile base station to go live will be Eggs and Bacon Bay (switched on Friday 31 March).

Combined, Telstra is rolling out expanded coverage to 577 locations across the nation plus up to 250 data only small cells.

Reference: 037/2017.