350 sites on air, and more to come
Telstra has notched up 350 base stations on air nationally through the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program, celebrating this milestone with a community event at Trunkey Creek in New South Wales.
These base stations have contributed to Telstra’s ever-expanding mobile coverage across Australia. Through the Mobile Black Spot and other network investment across Australia, Telstra’s mobile network now covers over 2.5 million square kilometres of the Australian landmass.
Through February and the first half of March, Telstra switched on 38 mobile base stations under the Mobile Black Spot Program across the country, from Yarramalong, NSW, to Needilup, WA.
Last week, we looked back at one of the first mobile base stations we switched on in Victoria, at Gormandale in Gippsland.
Since mobile coverage was brought to the area, local Gormandale residents have been making the most of the new coverage with more than 500,000 calls being made in the 22 months since we turned the tower on.
In addition to calls, the community is embracing the use of technology to stay connected, with more than 34 terabytes of data downloaded since the base station was switched on. That’s the equivalent of more than 6,800 HD movies.
Last week we also celebrated switching on a base station at Carrajung Lower, Victoria, bringing mobile coverage to local residents and to drivers along the Hyland Highway, one of several base stations Telstra is building along the highway under the Mobile Black Spot Program to improve safety by keeping drivers connected to emergency services and GPS tools.
And construction keeps ramping up across the country as we bring new and improved mobile coverage to some of Australia’s more remote and iconic locations.
Closer to Papua New Guinea than Australia, Darnley Island is one of the Torres Strait Islands and home to around 400 residents. Known locally as Erub, and arguably the most remote location in the Mobile Black Spot Program, construction has recently commenced on the island to bring Telstra’s 3G and 4G services to the area for the first time.
We’re also bringing mobile coverage to the Burke and Wills Road House. Named for the ill-fated explorers who took this route back in the 1860s, the area is now home to a population of eight as well as visitors who come to camp in the area. Bringing mobile coverage to this area represents an iconic moment. 150 years ago, explorers traversed the area lost and confused. Imagine how different things would have been had they had mobile coverage to provide maps, information, and contact to the rest of the world.
The full list of sites switched on between 1 February and 13 March includes the following:
New South Wales:
- Niemur
- Barry
- Mumbil
- Yarramalong
- Comboyne B
- Yarramalong
- Balala
- Baldersleigh
- Lemon Tree
- Bedgerebong
- Byabarra-Bagnoo Road
- Wyong Creek
Northern Territory:
- Hayes Creek *
Victoria:
- Buffalo River
- Bonang
- Eganstown
- Butchers Ridge
- Carrajung Lower
- Omeo Highway
- Killingworth
- Wartook Valley
Queensland:
- Windera
- Wallumbilla *
- Moonie
- Landsborough Highway (between Blackall and Tambo)
- Irvinebank
- Ravensbourne
- Burke and Wills Road House
- Bundoran Road
Western Australia:
- Wongoondy-Tardun Road
- Needilup
- Bulyee
- Kondut
- Wogerlin Hill
- Yallallie
South Australia:
- Cungena
- Sheringa
Tasmania:
- Bradys Lake
Telstra is building a total of 577 new mobile base stations under round 1 and 2 of the Mobile Black Spot Program, more than double all of our competitors combined. Telstra’s rollout of the Mobile Black Spot Program involves co-investment of more than $490 million in regional and rural Australia, with $229 million from Telstra, $134 million from the Federal Government and tens of millions in additional funding from State and Local Governments.
In addition to 577 new mobile base stations, Telstra is continuing to install up to 250 Small Cells to deliver high-speed 4G data services in some small country towns where suitable Telstra infrastructure is available.