Residents in Teesdale and Maude are now benefiting from better mobile phone service after Telstra switched on two new small cell mobile phone towers in the townships.
Golden Plains Shire Council welcomes these new towers, which were co-funded by the Federal and Victorian governments as part of the fourth round of the Mobile Black Spot Program. Under the same round, funding was provided for an Optus tower near the Meredith Music Festival site at Grenville, which is anticipated to be in operation by the end of 2020. Previously, new towers have been built in Haddon North, Teesdale, Dereel and Steiglitz.
Already locals are noticing the difference. Maude resident Fiona Gray said that the mobile phone coverage could not have come at a better time for the Maude community.
“Lack of coverage has been an ongoing issue for the Maude Valley, with residents, businesses and visitors unable to access crucial mobile services. Having mobile coverage is particularly important now, with many locals needing to work from home and undertake home schooling.”
Access to reliable telecommunications is vital for residents and businesses in Golden Plains Shire, and more infrastructure is needed to meet the needs of many local communities. Council strongly lobbies the State and Federal Governments for improved local telecommunications, including these new towers, which are crucial for economic growth and investment, as well as community connectivity and safety.