COMMUNITY-LED PUSH FOR MOBILE RECEPTION SEE’S NEW OPTUS TOWER SWITCHED ON IN YAAPEET

Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program reaches Mallee

Optus has launched a new mobile site in the Mallee region, bringing improved coverage to the town of Yaapeet and its surrounds.

The new mobile site was co-funded by Optus, the Victorian Government and the Federal Government, as part of Round 2 of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program.

Uniquely, the tower is the result of a strong push from the local community to see improved coverage in their region.

Vin Mullins, Manager of Mobile Planning at Optus said, “We always look for opportunities to work with local communities to build sites where they are most needed, and it’s a proud moment to be able to say we’re turning on coverage for Yaapeet. It was great to meet the community to discuss the proposal and it’s even better to hear the feedback now that the site has gone live.”

The new tower provides coverage for calls, text and data services across our 4G and 3G network. The coverage from this new site has provided coverage not only to Yaapeet but has filled in coverage within Optus’ existing network at Hopetoun and Rainbow within the Mallee region.

Yaapeet farmer and community member Troy Fisher said, “We were hoping the new tower would give us some improvement but seeing it in action we’ve been completely blown away by the results.

“This new coverage between Hopetoun and Rainbow means I can stay in contact for my business and with my family, without having to stop driving or avoid large areas with no coverage.”

“Sites like this one at Yaapeet are made possible by co-funding through the Federal Government Mobile Black Spot Program. We thank all Governments for investing in such a crucial program and look forward to working with governments and communities on the continued roll out of the Mobile Black Spot Program,” Mr Mullins added.

Minister for Regional Services, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie, said the Mobile Black Spot Program 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 Yaapeet.

“The Mobile Black Spot Program is enabling mobile carriers to service areas like Yaapeet where it would otherwise not have been economically viable,” said Minister McKenzie.

ABOUT THE MOBILE BLACK SPOT PROGRAM

The Mobile Black Spot Program is a Federal Government initiative to improve and extend mobile phone coverage in regional and remote Australia.

The Federal Government has committed $220 million to this Program, which has been co-invested by State Governments, local governments, businesses, community organisations and telecommunications providers.

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 49 of these sites are now live.

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