Optus strengthens disaster response with new 4G Satellite Communications trailer

Townsville SatCat will provide immediate support for those experiencing a loss of service due to natural disasters

Each year the onset of disaster season brings threats of bushfires, floods and cyclones to communities across Queensland, with severe weather events causing damage to homes, businesses and local infrastructure, as well as unparalleled disruption to everyday life. 

Mobile network stations can often be affected, wiping out critical phone and internet connections and causing outages during severe weather events. 

To help ensure communities in Townsville are not left without connection,Optus has built a new mobile Satellite Communications trailer ( SatCat), which, in the event of a natural disaster causing damage to mobile network connections, can be deployed to emit 3G and 4G coverage from the trailer, via a satellite link to the core Optus network.

The portable and efficient nature of the SatCat trailers allow them to be deployed rapidly to the areas most in need.

Dave Morrissey, Optus Territory General Manager for Northern QLD, is pleased to be providing the Townsville community with additional peace of mind throughout the disaster season.

“The introduction of this new generation SatCat will allow Optus customers in heavy disaster-affected areas to remain connected to the network, even during outages caused by severe weather events.

“This connection is essential for communities to remain in contact with loved ones and disaster relief services through bushfires, cyclones or floods.” Morrissey said. 

The Townsville SatCat belongs to a new generation of Satellite Communications trailers which provide enhanced connectivity for Optus customers due to its 4G capabilities. 

Previous generations of SatCat towers in Queensland have provided relief during natural disasters such as Cyclone Debbie in 2017, and the 2019 floods, where a SatCat was deployed at the Bluewater evacuation centre.

The arrival of the SatCat in Townsville forms a wider investment into these mobile disaster stations, with four Optus SatCats already in use across Queensland, and further development already underway to implement Wi-Fi capabilities in the SatCats over the next six months. 

ENDS 

Media contacts:
Ana Lloyd, Optus Corporate Affairs
(02) 9037 8179
media@optus.com.au

Meriel Kileen, Marketing Communications Consultant
SOCIETY Marketing Communications
optus@societymarcom.com