Mobile black spot fixed

A new mobile phone tower in Napier has been switched on, ending months of delays stemming from a dispute with the landowner.

On Tuesday, a group of representatives from organisations including DFES, Telstra, the City of Albany and the Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson met at the Napier Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade shed to mark the tower’s switch-on.

Its operation means another black spot has been filled in the region which could provide vital mobile reception to volunteers during emergencies.

The event was a long time coming, after delays at the land lease stage stalled the project 12 months ago.

The tower was built under the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program, which is jointly funded by the Commonwealth, the State Government and Telstra.

Telstra Regional Manager Boyd Brown said the new tower was “great news for the Napier community”.

“The new mobile station makes a big difference for local residents and motorists travelling along the nearby Chester Pass Road enabling them to now make and receive mobile calls as well as access high speed mobile broadband,” he said.

“The base station also delivers life-saving mobile coverage for emergency services, such as the Napier Bush Fire Brigade, and assists them to activate and mobilise their response teams if required and when every second counts.”

O’Connor MP Rick Wilson said it was a win for the region.

“We are focused on connecting all Australians, no matter where they live,” he said.