25 September 2020

New mobile coverage for bushfire-affected Wyndham

| Sharon Kelley
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Mobile phone tower.

Telecommunications in the Wyndham area has improved with a new macrocell base station delivering better 3G and 4G mobile phone coverage. Photo: File.

Wyndham residents are the recipients of improved mobile coverage, with a new macrocell base station that delivers 3G and 4G coverage to the town and its surrounding areas recently switched on.

The macrocell base station was jointly funded by Telstra, and the federal and NSW governments under the $380 million Mobile Black Spot Program.

Federal Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said the base station adds more than 90 square kilometres of new coverage to more than 140 local premises, businesses and nearby farms.

“Wyndham was hit hard by the bushfires last summer and the community is still recovering,” he said. “While no telecommunications network is 100 per cent impervious to damage from natural disasters, new towers funded through the Mobile Black Spot Program provide an alternative communications option if another network goes down during an emergency situation.”

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Regional Communications Minister Mark Coulton said the tower’s coverage extends along sections of Myrtle Mountain Road and Mount Darragh Road.

“Mount Darragh Road connects Bombala with Pambula and the Far South Coast region, and is an important transport route for the area,” he said.

“The additional coverage along this road will help locals and tourists stay connected when it matters most – before, during and after an emergency.”

NSW Senator Jim Molan said the additional connectivity from the tower will help to support the recovery of small businesses in the Wyndham area, including the local store, post office and service station.

“The coverage from the new Wyndham base station will also complement coverage from other Mobile Black Spot Program towers at Nethercote, Towamba and Cathcart, which have been on air since December 2016, June 2017 and July 2020 respectively,” he said.

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