June 25, 2015
The South Burnett and neighbouring areas will get eight new mobile towers to help remove black spots, thanks to a joint Commonwealth-State Government program.
New Vodafone towers will be erected at Boyneside, Kumbia and Cooyar; and new Telstra towers at Durong, Moore, Wattle Camp, Widgee and Woolooga within the next three years.
South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann said he was “over the moon” about the announcement.
“The South Burnett council area will receive four of the 68 new towers being erected around the State.
“This is more than any other local government area, and a big win for our region.
“If anyone doubts the benefit of the South Burnett belonging to WBBROC (Wide Bay-Burnett Regional Organisation of Councils), I hope this settles the argument.”
The Mayor said WBBROC had hired a consultant to prepare their submission and had carried out a physical audit of the region’s telecommunications coverage.
Last May, after the audit was completed, WBBROC nominated its Top 10 worst locations – which included several in the South Burnett – and began lobbying the State and Federal Governments to have them addressed.
“The result shows the quality of our submission,” Mayor Kratzmann said.
The boost for coverage in the South Burnett is part of a much larger program announced today by the Federal Government.
The Commonwealth’s Mobile Black Spot Program will be spending $100 million to fix mobile black spots nationally.
Queensland Science and Innovation Minister Leeanne Enoch said this would be the most significant one-time increase in mobile network coverage to outer metropolitan, regional and remote Queensland delivered by a single public funding program in the history of mobile communications in Australia.
“Today’s announcement is a great outcome for Queensland,” she said.
“Having adequate mobile coverage is critical for people living outside major cities. By helping expand coverage we can see clear benefits for public safety, business, education, tourism, and much more.”
Ms Enoch said the State Government had invested $10 million in the Mobile Black Spot Program, and as a result had been able to leverage a total package of $53.85 million for the State.
The program has also secured private sector investment from the mobile network operators.
The successful locations were chosen following a competitive selection process, with the mobile network operators asked to nominate sites where they would build new or upgraded base stations to serve the black spot locations nominated by the public.
A map of locations in Queensland which will receive new or upgraded coverage under the first round of funding under the program is available at http://www.communications.gov.au/mobile_coverage or www.qld.gov.au/mobilecoverage.
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