2 July 2018
West Coast regional towns including Rosebery, Queenstown, Savage River, Strahan, Zeehan, Tullah and Waratah will get faster mobile service under a plan proposed by Liberal Candidate for Braddon Brett Whiteley.
Federal Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield joined Liberal Candidate Brett Whiteley today in Rosebery to announce the Coalition’s communications plan for Braddon which commits federal funding of $700,000 to go towards improving mobile network capacity throughout the West Coast region.
“The West Coast has enormous economic and tourism potential and it shouldn’t be held back by poor mobile connectivity”, Mr Whiteley said.
The Turnbull Government’s funding will support the expansion of backhaul capacity to improve mobile services across the region for the 4,000 local residents as well as the tourist population.
Under this proposal, the way will be opened for better mobile coverage to communities such as Tullah and Granville.
“The Coalition Government is bridging the digital divide in Tasmania with our funding for mobile black spots and nbn upgrades,” Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield said.
“With node cabinets popping up all over Rosebery, Queenstown and Zeehan it’s clear that what Brett Whiteley promised in 2016 is being delivered under our Government.”
NBN fixed line services will go live in Rosebery, Queenstown and Zeehan from September and the fixed wireless tower serving Strahan is due for switch-on within weeks.
In addition, the Coalition Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program is already seeing $8.8 million going towards improved mobile coverage across Braddon. Eleven new or upgraded mobile towers will be switched on in Braddon under the program, and eight of these towers are already live in Sisters Beach, Melrose, Elliott, Gawler, South Riana, Takone, Loyetea and Temma. A new tower in Yolla is due to go live in coming months, and additional towers in Yolla, Devonport and Gunns Plains are in planning.