Regional Connectivity Program Round 3 and Mobile Black Spot Program Round 7 – Project Noticeboard

Proposal to install telecommunications infrastructure in Ando to improve regional connectivity for travellers and local residents in the Ando community which is currently a known black spot.

Community makes this project proposal on the following grounds:

1. Local RFS members often are not able to receive call outs due to lack of phone service in the region resulting in delays in response to emergencies.
2. Monaro Highway is a State road and the main route between the South East Coast and Snowy Mountains and Canberra with countless commuters and holiday makers using this highway especially during summer and Winter months during the heavy tourist seasons. The road is also used year-round by residents from coastal regions from Eden to Bega plus from Delegate and Bombala to travel to Cooma and Canberra where major health and other services are provided. The community holds safety concerns for these travellers as there is no phone service along much of this highway which restricts calls to emergency services when road accidents occur. There have been instances where road collisions have occurred and there has been no phone service to call 000.
3. The Snowy River Way since it has been sealed is becoming a more popular route to Cooma and the snow fields for travellers and lack of phone service along this route poses a safety risk to road users especially with rising wildlife numbers\.
4. Farm owners and workers are often without phone coverage and working alone and with heavy machinery. There have been cases of severe injury where those working on farms have not been able to contact emergency services or call for help due to lack of service.

Provision of mobile phone services for the area upper fineflower nsw. 
Despite requests to the department and service providers Telstra and Optus for near two decades.
No mobile phone service has been provided for the area for farmers but also a small village of residents. 

Proposal to upgrade existing Barmedman East Commnication Tower with exiting optic fibre connection with the combination of 4 & 5G, solar power and UPS back up ability. Location of this existing infrastructure is on the corner of West Lane and Regans Road Barmedman.

YLESS4U is interested in providing Fixed Wireless towers to cover the location of Burra NSW.

Investigate, plan and deliver a dedicated business NBN fibre zone to better support businesses in the town of Cowra. Business fibre will become the digital bitumen that connects Cowra to global markets and allow business to compete on equal footing with their urban counterparts.

This project meets the eligibility criteria of providing a place-based telecommunications solution to regional digital connectivity issues, deliver new infrastructure or the upgrade or improvement of existing infrastructure.

The Curraweela district is situated on Main Road 256, North of Taralga, NSW. There are some 20kms of Main Road 256 (Tablelands Way) that do not have mobile phone signal. It is a major transport route linking Goulburn NSW to the Western districts of NSW. Several thousand vehicles, including heavy haulage trucks use this route each week. There are many accidents, injuries and a number of deaths in the past. Stranded and injured commuters are forced to try and locate a property with a working landline, which can be very problematic, particularly at night. There are also some 300 residents in Curraweela, many who try to operate farm and other businesses, but have no mobile phone signal. The district is prone to natural disasters, floods, snow and bush fires, recently the Green Wattle Creek major NSW bushfire. Loss of electricity is a frequent occurrence. The aging landline infrastructure is often unreliable due to many flooding and lightning strike events. Mobile phone signal along this 20km stretch road is a critical National Emergency necessity.

Investigate the process and plans of installing a telecommunications facility in this area or upgrading the current coverage in the area to better service this area. This project meets eligibility by provide place-based telecommunications solutions to regional digital connectivity issues, deliver new infrastructure or the upgrade or improvement of existing infrastructure.

The area immediately north of Dungog (i.e. Chicester, Salisbury and Upper Allyn) has limited mobile coverage. There are many rural properties in this area, plus it is a popular tourism area with both day visitors, campers and hikers using both the Barrington Tops National Park and the Chichester State Forest areas.

Lack of mobile coverage is both a major inconvenience to residents and visitors, as well as a significant safety issue. Over recent years there have been numerous injured visitors, persons falling ill or becoming lost where calling for an emergency response has been delayed by lack of mobile coverage.

This is a project to extent mobile coverage throughout this area as far as is practical.

The Berowra electorate needs urgent solutions for a range of telecommunications problems regarding mobile coverage and broadband capacity and connectivity. Peri-urban communities in the electorate face ongoing issues with telecommunications and are left isolated. Residents are left being unable to study, work, and live everyday lives at home without telecommunications. This grant is an opportunity resolve such issues.

The key suburbs and their challenges are detailed below:

• Improved Mobile Reception: Key areas are Kenthurst, Arcadia, Annangrove, Dural, Galston & Middle Dural, suburbs where there are black spots and households without any reception.
• Improved Internet Connectivity and capacity: Key areas are Kenthurst, Arcadia, Annangrove, Dural, Galston & Sackville North, suburbs in which residents face ongoing NBN capacity and connectivity challenges, some of which require a different technology solution.
• An additional project includes the upgrade of telecommunications infrastructure for the Hills RFS District office, a crucial part of the RFS’ network.

Further information detailing the key streets in these suburbs and the specific issues and needs they have can be provided on request.

Community organisations including the Hills Shire Council, Hornsby council, Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai RFS and The Hills RFS all support the pursuit of better telecommunications in the electorate.

The Berowra electorate invites all organisations to get in contact and will connect expressions of interest with key community stakeholders who support these projects.

SEATS is a transport infrastructure advocacy organisation supported by local government.
SEATS has been concerned at the lack of mobile connectivity in the remote areas of south east Australia. The community in transit on the Princes Hwy and Monaro Hwy lack coverage. Freight operators utilise mobile connectivity to monitor the safety of their drivers and without this a WH&S issue emerges.
SEATS worked with Telstra in round 2 and with 3 approvals narrowed the area of poor mobile reception. In R3 we would like to narrow the "remote area" even further.

Proposal to install telecommunications infrastructure in Wisemans Creek with the aim to improve regional connectivity for travellers, tourists, local residents and the NSW RFS station in the Wisemans Creek community which is currently a known black spot.

Community makes this project proposal on the following grounds:

1. Local RFS members often are not able to receive call outs due to lack of phone service in the region resulting in delays in response to emergencies.
2. Beaconsfield Road, is used by residents travelling from Oberon and Bathurst. A 20km section of this road (which travels though Wisemans Creek) is remote from mobile service. The community holds safety concerns for these travelers as there is no phone service along much of this roadway which restricts calls to emergency services when road accidents occur. There have been instances where road collisions have occurred and there has been no phone service to call 000.
3. Farm owners and workers are often without phone coverage and working alone and with heavy machinery. There have been cases of severe injury where those working on farms have not been able to contact emergency services or call for help due to lack of service.
4. Wisemans Creek has an aging population. The community has serious concerns for elderly or infirm residents who live alone and don't have access to medi-alert services due to the lack of Mobile Service.

We have been previously approached by a telco provider for the development of co-location telecommunication infrastructure on our property in Mudgee NSW located at 657 Hill End Rd Erudgere NSW 2850 (Lot1 DP382275). The provider has shared interest specifically in a co-location (therefore is after other providers before continuing negotiations). The property is a designed telecommunications plot originally designated for telecommunications infrastructure, making it easier in approvals and moving forward.

There are frequent reception issues and discussions have shown that there is no stand alone or co-location infrastructure close by and only in the town Mudgee itself and the NE outskirts.

The NSW Government is providing up to $25 million in co-investment funding for telecommunications providers as part of the Regional Connectivity Program Round 3 and Mobile Black Spot Program Round 7.

To access information about the NSW co-investment opportunity, including target locations, key dates, eligibility and the assessment process, please download the NSW Co-Investment Program Guidelines and NSW Co-Investment Application Process.

Applications close 5.00pm Friday, 4 August 2023.

Projects that meet the NSW co-investment eligibility criteria will receive a conditional letter of support from the NSW Government on Wednesday 9 August 2023. 

The letters are to be submitted with your application to the Australian Government’s RCP3 and/or MBSP7, which closes at 5.00pm Friday 11 August 2023.

For further information about the NSW co-investment opportunity, and to access any of these documents, visit www.nsw.gov.au/connectregionalNSW.

We have asked for years now for communications assistance regarding connectivity issues within our area.

Our working group has had further discussions and confirmed the future needs of the area due to current and future development of the region to wine destination, its growing population and the concern of the lack of communication infrastructure when visiting the wine regions less than 10 minutes away from town. We predict it will only get worse!

Jilkminggan Community is 35 km by road from Mataranka NT but only 5km from Roper Highway (used by many tourists and people from other nearby communities) and 5km from Mataranka Falls tourist site. There is no mobile phone service at Jilkminggan currently. Establishing mobile services at would deliver social and economic benefits to local the Indigenous community residents as well as a significant benefit to tourism through the likely access by visitors travelling along the Roper Highway and to the nearby Mataranka Falls. The community profile for Jilkminggan as at the 2021 Census are: Total People: 263; Indigenous People: 263; Families: 52; No. of private dwellings: 37; Av. No. people per household: 6.1;

Manyallaluk community is 105km from Katherine NT and about 50km from Central Arhhem Highway (dirt and gravel highway). There is a current but ineffective mobile phone service at Manyallaluk community. Residents and workers complain of weak signal and intermittent phone signals including:

• phone reception and calls drop out;
• calls can't be made inside buildings without booster equipment;

Local people have reported that the mobile aerial / tower is obscured from key buildings and many houses by its location behind some low hills.

The current poor mobile phone service exacerbates difficulties in the delivery of social and community services such as education, health care, aged care and Council services. Poor communications also places the community at greater risk in emergencies (bushfires; weather events) without efficient and effective communications to coordinate local responses.

The ABS community profile for Manyallaluk as at the 2021 Census indicates: Total residents: 103; Indigenous people: 97; Families: 28; Av. No. people per household: 5.5;

Patonga Airstrip is situated in Kakadu National Park N.T.
Situated 5km from the Kakadu Highway
and is 80km by road from Jabiru. There is Currently no effective mobile reception at all
unless you travel 10km to Cooinda Lodge and this is telstra only, it is also in effective at
any sort of internet usage. The residents have no access to phone coverage in case of
an emergencie eg: Bush fires, all types medical emergencies & snakebite, heart attacks & Elder indigenous, traditional owner, has also got a letter from the doctor that she must have phone coverage 24 seven. The lack of any mobile coverage also
hinders business and schooling oppertunities at Patonga Airstrip community. It also makes it
very dificult to organise coltural and family events which is important for us local people first nations people.
Projects and other small businesses and older people at the community
who need to make frequent contact with doctors etc. Business opportunities, and also association business.

Mobile Phone Upgrade Needs and Issues

Borroloola has a current but inadequate mobile phone service. Residents, service organisations and businesses complain that it is generally very slow but during peak evening times (5pm-11pm) response and download times are extremely poor with calls and data services frequently dropping-out. Locals have complained of poor overall bandwidth capacity.

The current poor mobile phone service causes difficulties for visitors and locals alike. Poor mobile telephony and data services negatively affects the delivery of social and community services and Council services. Poor mobile communications also impacts tourism and causes visitor dissatisfaction. The current poor mobile phone services also places the town and community members at greater risk in emergency events (bushfires, cyclones and other extreme weather events) as it limits the coordination and effectiveness of local emergency management and emergency responses.

Borroloola Economy, Population and Demography

Borroloola has a significant number of tourists visiting and transiting through the area particularly during the tourist season from April – October. It is a major stopover for adventure travellers on Highway 1 connecting through to North West Queensland and is also a significant recreational destination for Territorians who are attracted to the diverse fishing and camping opportunities around the local area.

The ABS community profile for Borroloola as at the 2021 Census indicates: Total residents: 755; Indigenous people: 558; Families: 182; The local resident population comprises 74% Indigenous people and the community experiences high levels of disadvantage.

Cobbold Gorge Tours & Accommodation is an internationally recognised tourist destination which has been operating for 29 years, receiving 30,000 unique visitors annually. The business has installed Celfi mobile phone boosters at the tourist accommodation which boosts from a tower in Forsayth 45kms away. The drop-out rate is very high with mobile connections lasting for only minutes. In 2022 during an emergency situation the mobile phone dropped out 6 x between 7.13am–7.51am whilst talking to 000 and Royal Flying Doctors. As a safety concern and service to our customers, staff and visitors we would like to apply for mobile black spot funding.

No phone or internet connectivity in a lot of areas in Cape York and Gulf of Carpentaria. Roadhouses should have mobile phone service and internet connectivity for travellers and stations in the area. For example, travelling between the township of Laura in Queensland to the township of Pormpuraaw in Queensland. No reception between the two towns..hundreds of kilometres and hours of travel. Should be Towers at Hann River Roadhouse and Musgrave Roadhouse at the least. Just one example. Normanton area the same. Put a tower at Howitt for Karumba and Road to Kowanyama and Chillagoe etc. Tower at Bang Bang jump up and Reaphook Ridge. Lots of places for consideration. Losing reception 10km out of a town and nothing for hundreds of kilometres and hours is dangerous.