Optus switches on a new tower in Firefly to tackle Mobile Blackspot

Optus has switched on a new tower in Firefly delivering much needed coverage and connectivity to the Mid North Coast as part of the Federal Coalition Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program.

The new site is being co-funded by Optus and the Federal and NSW Governments as part of Round two of the program. Coverage from the site, which is co-located on an existing tower along Bunyah Road, is now enabling more than 190 homes to connect to reliable mobile reception, providing them with the ability to make and receive calls, text and browse the internet.

Additionally, more than 55 square kilometre rs of area surrounding the site will receive greatly enhanced mobile coverage, including more than 14 kilometers of roads and highways including sections of Bucketts Way, Firefly Road, Wallanbah Road, Avalon Road and Mill Street.

Andrew Sheridan, Optus’ Vice President of Regulatory and Public Affairs said, “Bringing much-needed mobile coverage to rural communities like Firefly is important for residents. It not only means greater safety for people living, working and driving through these areas by unlocking access to communication but it also helps to facilitate contact with family and friends.”

“Ensuring all Australians are able to access reliable mobile coverage is something we are continuing to work towards and programs like the Federal Government's Mobile Black Spot Program are crucial to helping us achieve this goal.”

“Optus’ mobile black spot sites have resulted in over 350,000 hours of calls, carried over 7.2 million new calls and served over 1,000,000 individual users; reflecting our commitment to enabling a greater availability of mobile services for our customers no matter where they live.”

“This program delivers valuable opportunities for these regional communities, allowing areas to remain competitive with access to the same resources as the rest of Australia,” Mr Sheridan added.

Federal Member for Lyne, Hon Dr David Gillespie MP said he was delighted to see the new mobile phone tower activated in the region."

“This is great news for both locals and visitors in the area. Having access to 4G mobile and data coverage will provide an enormous boost, especially for businesses that rely on good connectivity. I’m delighted our region is continuing to benefit from the Federal Coalition Government’s multi-million dollar investment in eliminating mobile blackspots,” Dr Gillespie said.

Member for Myall Lakes, Stephen Bromhead said there is nothing more frustrating than the inability to send a text, receive a call or email when you need to, especially in times of emergency.

“This tower is going to make a real difference in the lives in this area because if we want our regional communities to continue to grow and prosper we've got to get them connected and got to make sure they have the modern communications for education, for tourism, for business and in particular for our emergency services,” Mr Bromhead said.

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 Coalition Government has committed $380 million to this Program, which includes $160 million in funding for two new rounds (Rounds 5 and 6). The Government’s commitment has been supported with co-invested by state and local governments, businesses, community organisations and telecommunications providers.
 

Media enquiries:

Kaylah Bulow
Optus Corporate Affairs
(02) 8082 8222
media@optus.com.au