Site to be co-funded by Optus and Federal Government

Optus has switched on dedicated mobile coverage along Peats Ridge Road on the New South Wales Central Coast Hinterland, with the launch of a tower as part of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program.

Located on Peats Ridge Road, four kilometers off the M1 at Calga, the new mobile base station has been jointly funded by Optus and the Federal Government. The new site addresses a known black spot identified by the local community, providing them with dedicated mobile reception to make and receive calls, texts and access mobile data.

Vin Mullins, Manager Mobile Access Planning, Optus said, “It’s fantastic to be able to switch on dedicated mobile reception for the first time, in an area without reliable coverage. The Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program plays a critical role in enabling us to provide mobile coverage to parts of regional and rural Australia that otherwise would remain unserved.”

Peats Ridge Road is one of three sites switched on by Optus in NSW as part of round two of the Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program funding. The new tower is expected to enhance coverage along Peats Ridge Road with an area coverage of over 200 square kilometres. Optus also continues to work on other Black Spot sites in the area including Spencer and Wisemans Ferry Road.

As part of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program Optus will be co-funding and building a total of 126 mobile sites in black spots across the country, a large number of which are in very remote, parts of Australia. A total of 47 of these sites are now live.

“We know that there is anticipation and excitement in the communities that are due to receive this new dedicated coverage as part of the Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program and we are working as fast as we can to continue other parts of our rollout,’ added Mr Mullins.

Federal Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks said that this mobile coverage will ensure vital access to emergency services for people in Calga which have previously never been possible.

“I am delighted to announce as part of a 2016 election commitment that we have delivered dedicated mobile coverage to the residents and businesses at Calga and Peats Ridge. I’d like to thank Optus for their efforts in providing this much-needed boost to mobile coverage at the Calga site,” Mrs Wicks said.

“The Government has recently committed another $25 million to this program for a fourth round, delivering more coverage to deliver mobile coverage for people living, working, travelling throughout and raising their families in regional communities like the Central Coast. This is in addition to coverage already improved in parts of Mangrove Mountain, Mangrove Creek, Mount White, Somersby and now Calga along Peats Ridge Road.”

The Minister for Regional Communications, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie, also welcomed Optus’ announcement: “The Mobile Blackspot Programme is delivering much needed new investment in mobile infrastructure across regional Australia to address mobile coverage issues. It’s fantastic to see that the program is reaching more and more communities across the country, like Calga. The Mobile Black Spot Program is enabling mobile carriers to service areas like Calga where it would otherwise not have been economically viable,” the Minister said.

As part of its commitment to improving coverage along major highways, Optus has also switched on new towers at Ourimbah Interchange, Gosford Interchange and Reeves Road Overpass on the M1, with a further two sites near the Mount White Interchange and Hawkesbury River Bridge expected to be live soon.

Media contact

Anna Garcia
Optus Corporate Affairs
Ph: (02) 8082 7850
E: media@optus.com.au