Telstra boosts mobile coverage in western Victoria

Media Release, 17 March 2020

Telstra has announced two new mobile sites have been switched on as part of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program, improving coverage to Wilkur and Telopea Downs.

Regional General Manager Steve Tinker said the two new sites would improve upon Telstra’s existing coverage across the Wimmera and Mallee.

“Switching on these two new mobile sites removes two notorious black spots at Wilkur and Telopea Downs, bringing Telstra mobile coverage to these areas for the first time,” Mr Tinker said.

“The new mobile sites will boost Telstra mobile coverage along the VIC/SA border and north of the Western Highway as well as between Warracknabeal and Birchip.”

The local communities have been vital in helping provide feedback on the locations and sites as part of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program. Both sites have been co-funded by Telstra, the Victorian Government and the Federal Government.

“I’m pleased we’ve been able to help the community in their efforts to have their application under the program be a success.”

“We’ve worked really closely with locals and councils to get their feedback, which has helped us in the planning and roll out of these two really important sites.”

The new towers will provide another way for residents and visitors to stay-up-to-date with important alerts and in the event of an emergency.

Under the Mobile Black Spot Program Telstra, in partnership with Local, State and Federal Governments has delivered:

  • 645 mobile base stations stretching from Monkey Mia in Western Australia to Weipa in the Queensland Cape York Peninsula and delivered coverage to remote central Australian indigenous communities encompassing the APY Lands;
  • A further 207 wholly Telstra funded small cells to deliver coverage into areas where It is otherwise not economically feasible to do so;
  • Up to 146 million new handset and device registrations to the Telstra Mobile Network in the past two years where new coverage has been delivered under the Mobile Black Spot Program;
  • Another 188,000 square kilometres of new coverage to Australian communities (more than twice the size of Tasmania), delivering coverage to 63,000 new premises;
  • More than 37,000 emergency calls made through new Telstra sites delivered under the program.

Telstra has a long and proud history of investing in regional Australia. When Round Four of the Mobile Black Spot Program is complete, Telstra will have contributed more than $280 million to this program.

This is all part of Telstra’s commitment to providing regional and rural Australians with access to the nation’s largest and fastest* mobile network.
*based on national average combined 3G/4G mobile speeds.

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Telstra Media contact:

Matt Smithson – Telstra State Media Manager (VIC/TAS) – E: media@team.telstra.com
Media reference number: 029/2020