Joint Release with Peter Hendy MP: Spotlight on improving mobile phone coverage in the Bega Valley

Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Dr Peter Hendy MP, will today welcome Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP to the Bega Valley for a round table discussion on mobile phone coverage in the Bega Valley.

Mr Fletcher is responsible for implementing the Government’s Mobile Black Spot Programme – a $100 million investment to improve mobile phone coverage in outer metro, regional and remote Australia.

The Bega Valley has around 30 of the 6000 locations in outer metropolitan, regional and remote Australia, which have been nominated by Australians as having inadequate mobile coverage

The Programme is designed to improve mobile phone coverage along major transport routes, in small communities and in locations prone to experiencing natural disasters as well as addressing areas with special mobile coverage needs such as high seasonal demand.

“Mobile phone reception is a major issue for our community, impacting on community safety and holding back economic growth.”

“There is a strong need to improve mobile phone reception in the Bega Valley and right around Eden-Monaro, and I am pleased that Paul Fletcher has come to the Bega Valley to hear first-hand the problems that we have with mobile phone reception,” Dr Hendy said.

The Government's $100 million will be allocated through a competitive selection process that is expected to leverage at least an additional $100 million in investment from bidding parties, state governments and local councils.

"Following this competitive selection process the government expects that between 250 and 300 new mobile phone base stations will be built around the country," said Mr Fletcher.

The Government will shortly commence the competitive selection process, with a view to announcing the locations which have been selected for funding in the first half of 2015. The first base stations funded under the program are expected to begin to roll out in the second half of 2015.

A database of all nominated black spot locations in Eden-Monaro is available on the Department of Communications website: www.communications.gov.au/mobile_services/mobile_black_spot_programme/map