November 5, 2025
A group of Nanango residents, angry about the repeated mobile phone and internet outages in the local area, met on Wednesday night to air their grievances.
The meeting was called by local councillor Jane Erkens and held at the old Masonic Lodge Hall in Gipps Street.
Also in attendance were South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff and Cr Linda Little.
Individuals shared their frustrations about repeated outages by both Optus and Telstra.
Examples of the problems raised included:
- A local medical service asking police to do a welfare check on patients after they could not be contacted by telephone for days
- Optus towers out of service for maintenance with no warning to users
- Landlines removed and the phone service tied to the NBN, meaning no contact when the power goes off
One resident said she had bought a dual-SIM mobile phone so she could swap between Telstra and Optus “but each is as bad as the other”.
Others, who lived in areas where maps showed coverage, had bought extenders but still only had one-bar connections which often dropped out.
The meeting agreed the lack of coverage was a health and safety issue, particularly during emergencies and for people living alone or working in paddocks.
It was also a mental health issue.
People complained they could not contact ill or elderly relatives or check on the safety of children and grandchildren during the recent storms.
- “I have no contact with the outside world unless I get in my car and drive somewhere”
- “I can’t get emails, I can’t pay bills”
- “I have to drive to Kingaroy to talk to my kids”
Residents said the Telstra mobile network had degraded since the 3G network was switched off; the new 4G and 5G towers don’t have the same coverage.
- “We pay the same amount as the city, why don’t we get the same service?”
One resident shared an anecdote that her son had been able to make video calls from a Bedouin tent while on holidays but often could not contact his mother in Nanango …
Cr Erkens said the complaints would be compiled and submitted to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells and local MP, Nationals Leader David Littleproud.
She invited anyone who would like to add to the submission, but were not able to attend Wednesday’s meeting, to contact her by email
- Related article: Meeting To Discuss Phone Blackspots
A long time ago, when we had copper landlines with battery backup, we knew that we could ring out during a storm if we were in trouble, because we were told that the phone would always work even when power was off.
Then Telstra stopped replacing the batteries in the exchanges so that when a storm took out power, our landlines were useless.
I asked them why: “oh, those systems are outdated, we can’t get parts” (actual words from a person who was fixing an issue at my home).
Personally, I think it’s because they assume everyone has a mobile, and doesn’t need a landline.
Recently, Telstra practically bullied me into disconnecting my copper line and installing NBN on the roof which, of course, goes off every time the power does, especially during a storm.
Just because you have a mobile means nothing… it could be low on charge, or credit, and you may not be able to use it.
The days of being able to ring out during an emergency are long gone. When the power goes out, so does the landline, and heaven help you if you’ve only got % left in the mobile phone.
As to suggestions to *pop* next door and ask to use theirs (in the middle of a storm and facing a health issue!) … not everyone knows or can even reach their neighbours (especially if they live on a farm) and that neighbour may not have a working phone either.
Improved modern service? I don’t think so!
What happens when the copper line goes down … Same issues. Also you can’t use a landline during storms.