A hardware fault knocked out mobile services in Queenstown this week, the latest in a string of Telstra outages plaguing Tasmania’s West Coast.
The West Coast Council has called the “ongoing and widespread” outages unacceptable and demanded immediate action.
“Reliable telecommunications are essential infrastructure for our region,” the council said.
“When services are unreliable or unavailable, the impacts are felt across the entire community by residents, local businesses, frontline services, visitors and council alike.”
The council said it was advocating directly with Telstra and all levels of government for durable, long-term solutions.
“We are making it clear that the current level of service is unacceptable, that these failures must be addressed immediately, and that solutions must be durable and properly implemented – not short-term fixes.”
A Telstra spokesperson confirmed a hardware fault at the Queenstown mobile station was causing disruptions.
“We have called in specialist riggers to help us fix the issue as repairs need to be done at height at the top of the tower,” they told Pulse.
“The team are actively working to resolve the issue and we appreciate the community’s patience while we make the relevant repairs.”
On future investment, Telstra said it was “actively exploring options to improve coverage and reliability in the area”.
The telco is understood to be pursuing funding through Commonwealth and state government programs, including the Western Region Strategic Partnership and Regional Development Australia.
Telstra advised affected customers with access to fixed internet to activate Wi-Fi Calling, which allows phones to make and receive calls over a home connection.
Business owners were encouraged to connect EFTPOS terminals to NBN or fixed Wi-Fi to avoid transaction delays.
The council stressed that for remote communities, telecommunications were not a convenience but critical for emergency response, healthcare access and community safety.
“The West Coast deserves telecommunications services that work – consistently, safely and to an appropriate standard,” the council said.
The council indicated it would continue to pursue the issue urgently.
