Telstra mobile coverage now available in Maree and five additional sites coming soon to northern SA townships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
27 JUNE 2019
Telstra 4GX mobile coverage and data access using satellite small cell technology has this week arrived in Maree, with William Creek, Innamincka, Oodnadatta, Lyndhurst and Arkaroola Village also expected to have the same technology installed and activated in coming months.
A satellite small cell is a reduced size version of a mobile base station that is connected to the Telstra network via satellite. It is suited for providing localised 4G voice and basic data coverage to small townships where a full-sized base station would not be economically feasible.
“Telstra has previously installed four other satellite small cells in South Australia and over 20 across Australia,” said Mark Bolton, Regional General Manager for Telstra in SA. “For something so small, this technology is delivering big benefits to rural and regional communities.”
The satellite small cell will deliver 4G mobile phone coverage, but residents with older handsets may need to upgrade their device to ensure they are able to access the new coverage.
“We do recognise mobile handsets can be expensive, and not everybody needs the latest features these devices offer,” Mr Bolton said. “There are models available that can cater to all budgets and requirements, and we can help customers make a choice that suits their needs.”
Telstra’s ongoing commitment to connecting regional communities can also be seen through coinvestment initiatives like the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program, where we have already delivered more than 550 new base stations, out of a total of 780 new mobile base stations we will be building as part of the first four rounds of the program. The sites at Lyndhurst and Arkaroola Village are being constructed as part of this program.
“Telstra’s national mobile network has more than 10,000 mobile base stations covering more than 2.5 million square kilometres,” Mr Bolton said.
“In South Australia, Telstra has almost 800 mobile sites and delivering mobile coverage to 99.6 per cent of the state’s population. This is around 80 more sites than our nearest competitor,” he said.
Over the five years to June 2019, Telstra’s mobile network investment will total around $8 billion, of which almost $3 billion will have been invested in regional areas. In South Australia, in FY19, Telstra invested more than $46m to improve mobile coverage and capacity for our customers.
….ends….
Media contact:
Chris Marks- Telstra Public Affairs SA/NT
M: 0475 963 824
E: chris.marks@team.telstra.com
Reference number: 064/2019