NSW GOVERNMENT SWITCHES ON ST ALBANS AND MACDONALD VALLEY
Residents in St Albans and the Macdonald Valley will soon be safer and better connected thanks to a new St Albans mobile tower announced today by the NSW and Federal Governments as part of the $40 million Mobile Black Spots Program.
The crucial St Albans tower was selected thanks to the additional $15 million contribution by the NSW Government in partnership with funding from the Commonwealth Government and mobile carriers.
Member for Hawkesbury Dominic Perrottet said tackling the issue of poor mobile coverage in the region was a matter of improving safety for the local community.
“Before the 2015 election I had the pleasure of attending a community forum in St Albans hosted by the Macdonald Valley Progress Association where I heard their concerns first hand,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Good mobile coverage is vital for safety, and since meeting with the Association I have been advocating for the community with the Minister.
“Today’s announcement is a great outcome, this is another step in our commitment to connect, protect and better promote the Hawkesbury.” The St Albans tower is one of 174 towers that will be delivered over four years.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional Development John Barilaro said the State and Federal Governments are working hard with the private sector to deliver quality mobile phone services to regional NSW.
“People in our regions deserve to be able to make a phone call, access the internet and connect online with the same ease as people in larger centres, and the NSW Government’s commitment to the Mobile Phone Black Spot program is making that happen,” Mr Barilaro said.
“With the overall delivery of towers under the program, we are ensuring our communities are safer, more accessible and better connected for now and for the future.”
The Mobile Black Spot Program is the most significant one-time increase in mobile network coverage to outer metropolitan, regional and remote Australia delivered by a single public funding program in the history of mobile communications in Australia.
For more information, please visit https://www.communications.gov. au/what-we-do/phone/mobileservices-and-coverage/mobile-blackspot-program
