$8 mill for mobile black spots

The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) has released an $8 million dollar tender to the public to fill holes in Australia’s rural mobile service coverage.

The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) has released an $8 million dollar tender to the public to fill holes in Australia’s rural mobile service coverage.

The program aims to remove the many mobile service black spots on the highways and byways of rural Australia. The tender is part of the 2008-2009 Mobile Connect program which was first implemented under the Howard Government and allocated $1.1 billion to improving telecommunications in regional areas.

Senator Conroy, the Minister for Communications said:
“The Rudd Government has a preference for coverage being provided to population centres where there are also community services such as schools, police, health and council services.”

So far 10 outback communities have been identified for priority under the program including:
Warburton, Yungngora and Docker River in Western Australia, and Ampilatwatja, Looma, Umbakumba, Alpurrurulam, Palumpa, Kintore and Minjilang in the Northern Territory.