Mobile Black Spot Program Round 8—Project Noticeboard

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area.

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

Ampol and Woolworths Bomaderry are black spots. Constituents advise they have no signal.

Consistent mobile black spot along Princes Highway between Tomerong and Island Point Rd.
Telstra coverage is unreliable or non-existent every time. There are safety risks for commuters and emergency situations due to lack of mobile service. Limited connectivity for residents and businesses in the area. Upgraded Telstra infrastructure to enhance coverage and reliability along this key route, improving safety and accessibility.

Issue:
Most of Wooroonga Crescent is a mobile black spot, with no reception in some areas. Residents must rely on NBN and Wi-Fi calling for communication.

Impact:
No reliable mobile service for calls, texts, or emergencies. Dependence on Wi-Fi limits accessibility outside the home.

Proposal:
Assess mobile infrastructure gaps and explore network upgrades or new tower installations to improve connectivity in Kioloa.

Severe mobile black spots along Forest Rd and Currarong Rd. Telstra service is unreliable every day, impacting residents and travellers. There are safety concerns for commuters and emergency situations. Limited connectivity affects businesses and residents who rely on mobile service.
Upgraded Telstra infrastructure is required to improve mobile coverage and reliability along these key roads, ensuring better connectivity for the community.

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area. 

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

There are many communities and roads in the New England and Upper Hunter regions, including these locations in the Glen Innes Severn Council area, where mobile phone coverage is limited, problematic or non-existent, creating major issues for residents and businesses, particularly during times of emergency. These regions are susceptible to natural disasters, including bushfires and floods, and mobile communications are of critical importance during these events.

Constituent uses Telstra/ Woolworths as provider with the worst coverage at 26 Trawler St Vincentia. Constituents have to use Wi-fi calling every day.

Splitters Creek is a rural bushfire prone area with their own firestation. Emergency calls can only be made through access to personal StarLink connections. This is limited to the strength of WiFi signal at each home.

Signal disappears outside the home. Rural Fire Service currently use traditional pagers to alert volunteers. Standard RFS availability mobile apps not functional due to lack of signal.

Facility to boost phone coverage has been installed on the ‘Place of last resort’ but this is limited to small circumference of the centre. As evacuees increase to the area, this boost is no longer reliable.

Hamilton Valley signal strength varies greatly from no signal through to partial 4G/5G due to topology. The risk of fire is increased due to waste management operations, compounded by the increased disposal of batteries.

Current signal strength limits the ability for public to report emergencies within the upper reaches of the valley including council employees through its facilities. Council relies of internal networks and two-way radio back up for reliable communications.

Bawley Point is a small, isolated community and requires upgrades to their near non-existant network coverage. It may be particularly bad if an emergency occurs because Bawley Point is easily cut off from the rest of the Shoalhaven, having only a handful of access points.

There are many communities and roads in the New England and Upper Hunter regions, including these locations in the Tenterfield Shire Council area, where mobile phone coverage is limited, problematic or non-existent, creating major issues for residents and businesses, particularly during times of emergency. These regions are susceptible to natural disasters, including bushfires and floods, and mobile communications are of critical importance during these events.

Installation of a tower and telecommunication facilities. This location currently has no phone coverage. The area is prone to fires caused by lightning impacting the area. 

Additionally, this area is a major haulage route with BB-Doubles carting to and from the area, including livestock, produce and timber industry product.

Bugong Road, has no mobile signal for almost its entire length west of the Emery's Road topographical ridge which blocks access to existing towers towards Nowra. Installing a tower that services the watershed west of the Emery's road and western end of the Browns Mountain plateau that would dramatically improve the quality of life for residents in this area, as well as providing better communications in the event of a disaster. This area was heavily impacted by the 2019-2020 bushfires.

There are many communities and roads in the New England and Upper Hunter regions, including these locations in the Walcha Council area, where mobile phone coverage is limited, problematic or non-existent, creating major issues for residents and businesses, particularly during times of emergency. These regions are susceptible to natural disasters, including bushfires and floods, and mobile communications are of critical importance during these events.

Rugby is located on the main road between Boorowa and Crookwell. This road is a major thoroughfare linking rural towns. This proposal is supported by the local RFS and first responders who have had to leave emergency situations to obtain mobile service to call for assistance. The township of Rugby has no mobile phone reception and being a rural township has had multiple bushfires impact the region.

Telstra mobile reception along the Princes Highway (Batemans Bay – Mogo) is nearly non-existent, affecting Eurobodalla Botanic Garden (70,000+ visitors), Mogo Mountain Bike Trail, Deep Creek Dam, and essential travel routes.

Safety risk: No service for emergencies or hospital transfers. Business and tourism loss: Visitors struggle with navigation, payments, and communication.

Proposal: Improve Telstra infrastructure to enhance safety, connectivity, and support local businesses and tourism.

Worsening coverage post-Kioloa 5G upgrade, with devices preferring weak 5G over stronger 4G, leading to more black spots. Poor reception along Bawley Point Rd (4km black spot) and Murramarang Drive, where dropped calls are now common. Severe congestion during holiday periods, making mobile service unreliable in emergencies, including bushfires. New infrastructure is required to improve coverage, reliability, and emergency preparedness in Bawley Point.

Constituent who lives at 6 Glasford Crescent, Kioloa and has quite a lot of issues with reception. They need to walk around the house trying to find the best spot to get a few bars. The service has improved a little since putting on the internet. Telstra advised them to turn on WiFi calling which has helped.

They advise there are quite a few elderly people around them and one gentleman in particular needs to come over and use my WiFi to get in touch with people. This isn't very safe. Holiday season is the worst time for lack of reception. The 2019/20 bushfires were so bad for mobile reception.

There are many communities and roads in the New England and Upper Hunter regions, including these locations in the Muswellbrook Shire Council area, where mobile phone coverage is limited, problematic or non-existent, creating major issues for residents and businesses, particularly during times of emergency. These regions are susceptible to natural disasters, including bushfires and floods, and mobile communications are of critical importance during these events.