Major mobile service upgrades have commenced across Tasmania’s Central Highlands, with Telstra promising a 300% increase in network capacity once works are complete.
The four-day upgrade is expected to cause temporary service disruptions but should address long-standing connectivity issues that have frustrated locals and tourists.
Telstra regional general manager for Tasmania Michael Patterson said work would focus on two key sites.
“We’re upgrading two major sites, one called Reynolds Neck and the other called Barren Tier,” Patterson told Local Radio.
“It’s going to improve services for customers at Miena, Liawenee, Steppes, Reynolds Neck and Brandum as well.”
The works follow increasing pressure from the Central Highlands Council and residents, who have reported poor mobile coverage around the lakes region, particularly during peak tourism periods.
“[It is] one of those communities where obviously you’ve got a population that lives there, but it swells during the summer period, where all the fishermen and holiday makers and shack owners go up there and want improved services,” Paterson said.
The upgrades require a complete shutdown of the affected base stations for four days while crews rebuild transmission infrastructure and install updated technology.
Telstra said it has run a communication campaign over the past two months to notify affected customers, including text messages and letters.
Emergency calls to Triple Zero (000) will remain available throughout the outage, with calls automatically roaming onto other available networks.
Telstra has also applied for additional funding through a black spot program to construct a new tower near Wilburville in the Arthurs Lake area, although federal approval is still pending.
Paterson said recent service degradation was driven by increased data usage rather than the recent decommissioning of the 3G network.
The upgraded network is expected to be fully operational by the weekend.
