The Treasurer, Mr Peter Costello, today announced Telstra as the successful tenderer for the $20.4 million Commonwealth Government initiative to provide improved spot mobile phone coverage on 34 regional highways across the country.
The Treasurer made the announcement at the opening of the Morven Rural Transaction Centre in Queensland, where the Landsborough and Warrego Highways are among 34 regional highways (see attached list) with little or no terrestrial coverage to be funded under the $50.5 million Regional Mobile Phone Program.
The additional mobile phone coverage is good news for local communities and travellers. The improved spot coverage will help business and holiday travellers stay connected with family and friends and places of business.
With so many Australians on the road, the Government is committed to providing improved mobile phone coverage on our major roads and regional highways.
Roads like the Snowy Mountains Highway and the Great Ocean Road have large volumes of tourist traffic, while other roads such as the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory and the Barkly Highway in Queensland cover some very remote areas. While it is not feasible to provide continuous coverage on many of these highways, this program will provide `spots' of coverage that will benefit both local residents and business and holiday travellers.
Today's announcement is part of the Government's response to the Telecommunications Service Inquiry (TSI), with a total of over $73 million allocated in response to the TSI to improve mobile phone coverage across regional, rural and remote Australia with over 200 communities to benefit.
Mobile phone coverage is also being improved on more than 9000kms of national highways as part of the Commonwealth Government's $25 million Mobile Phones on Highways program with Vodafone, with coverage under the program expected to be completed by the end of 2002. Additionally, $40.5 million has been provided under the Networking the Nation program to fund 109 mobile phone projects across Australia.
These initiatives demonstrate the Government's ongoing commitment to provide adequate and affordable telecommunications services throughout Australia. Telstra expects to complete rollout of improved mobile phone coverage on the 34 regional highways by June 2004.
15 August 2002
HIGHWAYS RECEIVING ADDITIONAL SPOT COVERAGE UNDER THE $50.5 MILLION REGIONAL MOBILE PHONE PROGRAM
NEW SOUTH WALES
Barrier Highway; Bruxner Highway; Cobb Highway; Golden Highway; Gwydir Highway;
Mitchell Highway; Silver City Highway; Snowy Mountains Highway
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Arnhem Highway; Barkly Highway; Stuart Highway
QUEENSLAND
Balonne Highway; Barkly Highway; Capricorn Highway; Carnarvon Highway; Dawson
Highway; Flinders Highway; Kennedy Highway; Landsborough Highway; Mitchell Highway;
Moonie Highway; Peak Downs Highway; Warrego Highway
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Barrier Highway; Eyre Highway; Stuart Highway
TASMANIA
Lyell Highway; Tasman Highway
VICTORIA
Cann Valley Highway; Great Alpine Road; Great Ocean Road; Murray Valley Highway;
Sunraysia Highway
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
North West Coastal Highway (Highway 1)