Mobile Black Spot Program Round 8—Project Noticeboard

High retirement population and holiday destination. Poor and unreliable mobile signal. Only one access road which is subject to flooding and has also been closed due to bushfire events. Despite assurances their mobile signal would improve with the closure of 3G, this has not been the case, and has rather deteriorated further. Reliable and accessible mobile coverage is not only necessary for everyday living in a modern society but can be critical during emergencies such a flooding event.

There is only one road in/out of Lorne. During flood events many people are redirected off the new England highway through Lorne, resulting in thousands of people sitting in their cars, bumper to bumper for hours with traffic at a standstill resulting in a possible life threatening situation. Mobile coverage in the area is deteriorating, due to congestion. Between 9.30 am through to 5.30 pm on daily basis, there is little or no mobile signal, with the situation improving in the evenings and early morning. Coverage deteriorates further in times of flooding event when many people are required to be diverted via Lorne.

High bushfire and flash flooding risk. Terrible mobile coverage, compounded by poorly maintained and unreliable land line network. Examples of landline being out of service for over a month, to only be reconnected and out again a week later after a rain event. More mobile towers, strategically placed to reduce blackspot areas, plus investment in the maintenance and upgrade of the landline infrastructure is urgently required to provide just basic phone services. 

High bushfire risk area and prone to flash flooding events. No mobile reception in this area. During the 2019/2020 bushfires, lives were threatened, homes and property were affected. There are only two roads in and out of the area, Mooral Creek Road and Warrawillah Road.

Both of these roads are unsealed, have multiple causeways, generally in poor condition and are prone to flood in storm events. The local school bus travels these roads each morning and afternoon.

Being stuck along the road with a flat tyre, damaged suspension, caught between two causeways during heavy storms, blocked by fallen trees and not being able to phone anyone.

Constituent advises mobile phone provider is Telstra. They have problems daily. Worst coverage spots are Queen Mary Street, Callala Beach and Forest Road, Callala.

There are mobile coverage issues in Berrara. Berrara is situated between the Sussex Inlet and Bendalong mobile towers. Due to this positioning, mobile coverage is inconsistent, with users occasionally receiving just one bar of 4G signal. With the closure of the 3G network, there is no longer a fallback option for connectivity.

During peak seasons, the significant increase in visitors overloads the network, often rendering mobile service completely unavailable.

I have been advised by a Hospitality Business Owner in Kioloa (2539), it can be very frustrating for their customers wishing to use their mobile to access internet banking to pay for essentials. With poor reception, they are often left unable to transfer funds, and will need to drive to find cash out at their inconvenience and missed sales for us. Over the summer holidays, a gentleman with 4 children broke down and spent an hour with poor coverage trying to connect for help.

Also been advised from a community member in Bawley Point (2539), it can be frustrating when coverage drops in and out making calls etc.

Telstra reception is nearly non-existent along the Princes Highway corridor, affecting Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden, Mogo Mountain Bike Trail, and Deep Creek Dam. Optus users have reliable service, but Telstra users struggle with patchy or no coverage. There are safety risks for emergency situations and hospital transfers. Tourists and businesses experience disruptions including mobile payments and navigation. There is limited digital access for education programs, EV charging, and social engagement. New or upgraded Telstra infrastructure is required. 

The area of freeway adjacent to Bombo Railway Station has limited and inconsistent network coverage, this affects the nearby beach and local bushlands. 

Better mobile coverage is urgently needed around the intersection of Bylong Valley Way and south along the Widden Valley Road extending south to the Wollemi National Park. Bylong Valley Way is firstly a key gateway between the Central West and Upper Hunter, serving residents, emergency services, council outdoor staff, other workers visiting the area, and travellers. The Widden Valley is characterised by well-known horse studs and cattle grazing properties which involves the movement of vehicles moving livestock and farm supplies such as hay and fodder.

Constituents who switched their mobile services from Optus to Telstra due to the lack of Optus coverage found that even on the Telstra network, reception is extremely limited - typically only one bar in certain areas.

To stay connected, the constituents rely heavily on Starlink satellite internet for making calls and sending text messages. Additionally, the constituents do not receive any TV reception and depend on a satellite TV signal, which does not provide access to local channels. As a result, all TV content must be streamed via our internet connection.

Worst coverage is experienced at George Bass Drive between Barlings Beach and Rosedale; Dunns Creek Road, Woodlands; The Kings Highway between Nelligen and the top of the Clyde Mountain.

It’s very dangerous to have no coverage on the Kings Highway travelling up / down the Clyde Mountain for such an extended distance. 

Constituent lives in Culburra Beach and advises mobile phone provider is Optus. Unable to get coverage on Culburra Road when in the car.

There’s no coverage inside buildings and it is patchy everywhere.  

It was better before they switched to 5G - wasn’t much better but it is now worse.  

Martindale borders the Wollemi National Park and has a Public Primary School, Rural Fire Service Shed and a Church/Community Hall.

Martindale has an increasing population associated with small holders seeking a rural lifestyle. It is also characterised by larger farms which involves vehicles moving livestock and farm supplies such as hay and fodder.

The poor reception in these areas creates safety risks and disrupts communication. This nomination is supported by feedback from local residents and Council’s Operational Teams.

Yamba, Angourie and Wooloweyah’s mobile connectivity issues present significant challenges to residents, businesses, and visitors, impacting public safety, economic growth and quality of life.

Unstable mobile reception delays response times for accidents, medical emergencies, and natural disasters.

Vulnerable groups such as the elderly experience difficulty staying connected with essential services and loved ones. Tourists cite poor connectivity as a deterrent for repeat visits which negatively affects the local economy.

There is an urgent need for the inclusion of Yamba, Angourie and Wooloweyah in Round 8 of the Mobile Black Spot Program.

Community members of both Neligen and Mogo advise that the coverage is poor and stifles economic activity, and their ability to connect others.

Area at risk from bushfires and floods. Poor and unreliable mobile service and since the closure of 3G coverage has become worse with calls dropping out or not being able to receivie calls. To compound the issue, landline service has also deteriorated and is especially problematic during rain events.

Issue: Users experience extremely poor reception along the South Coast, with no reliable service from Bawley to Batemans Bay.

Impact: Safety risk for emergency services and severe connectivity gap.

Proposal: Advocate for Vodafone and other providers to improve infrastructure and ensure reliable coverage for all users in regional areas.

The area is prone to both flooding and bushfires, and for those who still have a landline, increasingly landline is becoming less reliable, especially at times of high rainfall. The Monkerai area has NO service at all, years ago the service up there was great. Many people at the time discontinued landline as it was deemed the double up was not necessary and the mobile was more practical.