OPTUS SET TO BUILD 23 SITES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA TO IMPROVE COVERAGE IN BLACK SPOT AREAS

Optus working with State and Federal Government, Optus to continue investment in Western Australia.

Optus has confirmed it will be working with the Federal and State Government to build 23 new mobile sites across Western Australia, as part of the Federal Government’s $60 million second round of funding for its Mobile Black Spots Program.

From the program nationally, Optus has secured $26.4 million in Federal and State Government funding and will co-contribute a further $36.4 million to provide dedicated connectivity to thousands of Australians across 114 sites in regional and rural Australia.

In Western Australia, allocated funding will be used by Optus to launch 23 satellite cells*.

David Epstein, Vice President, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs said, “Optus is pleased to be working with Federal and State Governments on the delivery of mobile services in regional and remote parts of Australia.  We thank all Governments for investing in such a crucial program which together with Optus’ ongoing mobile investment program, will ensure those living in remote and regional areas have access to reliable mobile coverage.”

“Real investment in regional and remote telecommunications services is the only sustainable way to improve competition, and strength and breadth of coverage in regional Australia. Optus has embarked on an extensive regional network investment program and today’s Mobile Black Spots announcement will supplement additional investment in regional telecommunications.”

“We have always placed significant value on network investment, particularly for regional areas seeking choice and competition. In the last financial year we invested close to $1.6 billion in strengthening networks. In Western Australia, we’ve invested in 24 new sites and 427 site upgrades in the past 12 months, and are looking forward to continuing this investment through the Mobile Black Spots Program,” said Mr Epstein.

Western Australian Minister for Commerce, Michael Mischin, said, “The Western Australian Government is very pleased to be working with Optus, which has offered an innovative and cost effective small cell satellite solution that is ideal for coverage of small communities and places where visitors congregate, such as roadhouses and campgrounds in national parks, in remote and very remote parts of the State.”

The Mobile Black Spot Program is co-funded by the Western Australian Government’s Royalties for Regions Regional Telecommunications Project. The Royalties for Regions Regional Telecommunications Project is administered by the Western Australian Department of Commerce with assistance from the Department of Regional Development.

Using the funding, Optus will build new mobile base stations and satellite small cells in Western Australia across:

For more information please contact:

Michelle Pacey/Steve Batten

Optus Corporate Affairs

P: (02) 8082 7850

E: media@optus.com.au

*Satellite cells, also known as ‘small cells’, are small units that provide the potential for an inexpensive and flexible alternative to traditional mobile towers. These small devices deliver mobile phone coverage up to a 3 kilometre radius [depending on the surrounding topography] and are linked to satellites to expand coverage in a concentrated local area such as a rural, remote or previously unserviced location.