Caragabal district residents will receive improved mobile phone coverage from new mobile phone towers to be built at nearby Manna Mountain and Jemalong.

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said parts of Caragabal were expected to be able to access antenna assisted mobile reception once the towers were built.

“After we mapped the electorate to show Government ministers and telecommunications companies where the black spots were and where best to locate new towers, Hume has done particularly well and will receive 18 new or upgraded base stations,” Mr Taylor said.

Caragabal / Burcher district property owner Lyndon Ridley said the Manna Mountain tower would be only 15km away. “Coverage has been patchy and pretty hopeless, particularly at the northern end of our place. The new tower should vastly improve things,” he said.  

Mr Taylor said towers across Hume would be located for maximum signal spread and the benefit would be shared by many, because coverage would also extend along a number of roads and highway sections, including:

·         Grenfell-Orange Road – between Grenfell and Gooloogong

·         Olympic Highway – between Wattamondara and Koorawatha

·         George Russell Drive – between Woodstock and Canowindra

·         Murringo Road – between Boorowa and Young

“In total, 74 of the 139 mobile black spots nominated in Hume will receive coverage via handheld phones or via an external antenna on the roof or car (or both).

“The total funding package to Hume is $10.41 million, including $2.76 million from the Federal Government under the Mobile Black Spot Programme. We will be dramatically improving mobile phone coverage across a vast area of the electorate and I am delighted to be able to share such good news,” Mr Taylor said.

He said in addition to the $100 million in Commonwealth funding for Round 1 of the national programme, a further $60 million had been announced for Round 2 of the Mobile Black Spot Programme, and Telstra had committed to build 200 new 4G mini base stations, to offer further opportunities to fix mobile black spots.