New mobile and internet coverage comes to Atitjere

A new mobile base station in Atitjere has this week officially been switched on by Telstra and the Northern Territory Government, providing 3G and 4GX mobile coverage and ADSL2+ internet services for local residents for the first time. 
 
Home to approximately 200 people, Atitjere is located 215 km north east from Alice Springs at the base of the Harts Range. It is one of 37 remote communities that has received mobile phone and/or broadband services through co-investment partnerships between Telstra and the NT Government since 2009. 
 
To connect the new 30m high Atitjere base station to the Telstra mobile network, Telstra technicians had to build a new radio transmission system from West Gap at Alice Springs to the township. 
 
The upgraded transmission system also allows Atitjere residents to be able to apply for a Telstra fixed home broadband ADSL2+ service as an alternative to satellite services.
 
Telstra contractors have also started construction on a new site at Alpurrurulam (Lake Nash), 550 km north east of Atitjere that will deliver mobile and fixed line internet services to approximately 420 residents. This project is expected to be completed by late 2019. 
 
“Keeping connected with family and friends is important for all Australians,” said Nic Danks, Telstra’s Regional General Manager for the NT. 
 
“We rely on mobile connectivity more than ever before for making calls and accessing the internet. In an emergency having mobile coverage and being able to make a call can make a huge difference for people living in remote areas.” 
 
Member for Namatjira Chansey Paech said such partnerships are helping the NT government to build reliable telecommunications infrastructure in remote communities. 
 
“The sheer size of the Territory and vast spread of communities poses many challenges in delivering services, but we are committed to ensuring remote and regional Territorians can have the same access to services as the people who live in our urban centres,” said Mr Paech.
 
“Improved connectivity can help improve social and economic outcomes for local residents and also enables government agencies and land councils to more efficiently perform their roles,” he said.
 
The NT Government Telstra is currently in discussions with Telstra about future co-contribution projects to help deliver improved telecommunications to regional and remote Northern Territory communities. This program is expected to target remote locations and communities, transport corridors and tourist destinations.
 
Telstra is continuing to invest in the mobile network to provide customers with the best possible user experience. In the Northern Territory during 2018/19, Telstra invested more than $17 million to improve mobile network coverage and capacity. 
 
Telstra’s has more than 175 mobile sites across the Northern Territory and surrounding islands, delivering mobile coverage to 95.5 per cent of the territory’s population. This is around 80 more mobile sites than our nearest competitor,” Mr Danks said.
 
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Telstra Media contact:

Chris Marks- Telstra Public Affairs (SA and NT)
M: 0475 963 824
E: chris.marks@team.telstra.com
Media reference number: 067/2019