MORE communities and businesses across regional NSW will soon see internet access and reception bars on their mobile phones, with 39 new towers confirmed under round two of the Mobile Black Spots Program.
Deputy premier and Regional Development Minister John Barilaro today announced the mobile base station locations will be delivered, thanks to the $15 million contribution from the NSW Government, as part of a co-investment of almost $40m secured with the NSW and federal governments and mobile carriers.
“People in our regions deserve to be able to make a phone call, access the internet and connect online with the same ease as people in larger centres, and the NSW Government's commitment to the Mobile Phone Black Spot program is making that happen,” Mr Barilaro said.
“With the delivery of over 174 towers under the program, we are ensuring our communities are safer, more accessible and better connected for now and for the future.”
Parliamentary secretary for Southern NSW and regional communications Bronnie Taylor said the investment would ensure regional communities had access to infrastructure and services that many in metropolitan areas take for granted.
“We will continue to work hard with the NSW community, the Commonwealth Government and mobile carriers, to reduce the tyranny of distance and switch on some of the most significant black spots in regional NSW,” Ms Taylor said.
The Mobile Black Spot Program is the most significant one-time increase in mobile network coverage to outer metropolitan, regional and remote Australia delivered by a single public funding program in the history of mobile communications in Australia.
