Wollondilly businesses and emergency services have welcomed news of new mobile phone towers to be built at Mount Hunter, Nattai, Werombi and Buxton.

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said 18 new or upgraded base stations would be built in Hume.

“After we mapped the electorate to show government and telecommunications companies where the black spots were and where best to locate new towers, Hume has done particularly well,” Mr Taylor said. 

“Four new Wollondilly towers will extend hand-held or antenna coverage to Nattai, Mt Hunter, Werombi, Buxton, Belimbla Park, Lakesland, Pheasants Nest, Picton, Razorback, The Oaks, Theresa Park, Thirlmere, Wilton and along the Picton Rd between Picton and the Fire Rd intersection.” 

Member for Wollondilly Jai Rowell said: “This will really put Wollondilly on the map. Angus always brings good news.”

Werombi plant nursery owner Germaine Borg from Choice Seedlings said her customers and staff were becoming increasingly frustrated with no mobile reception. “We don’t just need mobile phone coverage to make and receive calls, it allows us to activate technology to monitor our seedlings. Our growers have contracts to farms in Victoria, Queensland, NSW and South Australia and a mobile tower will mean enormous reassurance for our business,” she said.

Kim Hayter from Hayters Timber and Paving said his business employed 68 people at Narellan. “Telecommunications has been atrocious, not only from the safety point of view, but the economics. This is welcome news.”

Rural Fire Service Southern Highlands regional commander Ashley Frank said better mobile reception would be a significant advancement for emergency services.

“We have a massive bushfire area to the west of us. While we do have our own internal communications, we’re reliant on the public calling in and letting us know what’s going on. Just as important is our emergency warning system through mobile phone messaging. On behalf of the Rural Fire Service I want to thank Angus and the government for putting this kind of support into our community.” 

Mr Taylor said 74 of the 139 mobile black spots nominated in Hume would 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.