Travellers on the Kings Highway between Braidwood and Batemans Bay will benefit from improved mobile coverage on Clyde Mountain, thanks to the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program.
Regional Communications Minister, Mark Coulton welcomed the completion of the new Telstra base station on Clyde Mountain, which has been jointly funded by the Australian Government and Telstra under the Priority Locations Round of the Mobile Black Spot Program.
“The activation of this site will provide some 34 square kilometres of improved 3G and 4G mobile coverage in an area that was severely impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires, including to a 12 kilometre stretch of the Kings Highway between Pooh Corner and Cabbage Tree Creek,” Minister Coulton said.
Senator for NSW Jim Molan AO DSC said mobile coverage provided by the Clyde Mountain site will help to improve safety along a major transport and tourist route between Canberra and the NSW South Coast.
“The Kings Highway experiences high traffic volumes, particularly during holiday periods, and the local community has been campaigning for mobile coverage in this area for some time,” Senator Molan said.
“Thanks to this new tower, people travelling along this stretch of the highway and living or working in this area will be able to access emergency services should the need arise.
The new Telstra macro cell base station at Clyde Mountain is the 924th base station funded under the $380 million Mobile Black Spot Program to be switched on, and the 235th in NSW.
Minister Coulton said the Liberal and Nationals Government is committed to improving mobile coverage and access to high-speed broadband in regional, rural and remote areas through initiatives such as the Mobile Black Spot Program and the Regional Connectivity Program (RCP).
The RCP has funded 132 projects to improve connectivity for regional communities across Australia.
“We will continue to deliver on our commitment to regional Australians into the future, with a further $153 million allocated in the 2021-22 Budget for further rounds of these two important programs,” Minister Coulton said.
For more information on the Mobile Black Spot Program, visit communications.gov.au/mbsp.