Silverton residents and tourists will now have better phone service to make calls, browse the internet and stay connected with family and friends, with a satellite small cell now operational.
Jointly funded by the Federal Government and Telstra under Round 4 of the Mobile Black Spot Program, the small cell will provide new and improved 4G coverage to the Silverton village, including local businesses that were identified as public interest premises (PIP).
Minister for Regional Communications and Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said the Coalition Government is committed to improving connectivity for people living in rural and regional areas.
“The improved service is thanks to the Liberal and Nationals Government’s $380 million Mobile Black Spot Program, which is eradicating phone black spots across my electorate,” Minister Coulton said.
“Silverton is an iconic village in the Far West of my electorate, and this announcement will make a significant difference to the lives of its residents, as well as tourists in the area.
“This Government knows how frustrating it is to be talking on the phone or browsing the internet and then lose service, so we’re getting on with the job of building more phone towers to deliver better service.
“Not only will these towers make it easier for people to stay connected to family and friends, it will also make it simpler to do business and access education resources.
“Our continued investment in mobile phone base stations is further proof of the Coalition’s commitment to connecting Australians, wherever they are, particularly in places like Silverton.”.
An additional $160 million in new funding for Rounds 5 and 6 of the program was announced in 2019 to continue to improve phone service for people in Australia’s regions.
More information about the program is available at www.communications.gov.au/mbsp
Background
• Under Round 4 of the Mobile Black Spot Program, Public Interest Premises (PIPs) such as economic centres, educational and health facilities, emergency services, local government facilities, not-for-profit organisations and indigenous community organisations were nominated to receive new and improved voice and data coverage.
• A small cell base station is an ideal solution for providing new and improved mobile services to isolated or remote locations and communities where a larger base station may not be technically or commercially viable to build.
• Coverage from a small cell ranges from 200 metres up to three kilometres depending on local conditions and the design and location of the site.