The Nattai and Mount Hunter mobile phone blackspot towers are scheduled for switch-on by next year, with the Buxton tower to be on air by 2018.

Member for Hume Angus Taylor has welcomed Telstra’s latest Round 1 Mobile Blackspot Programme rollout schedule for the Wollondilly Shire.

“The Nattai, Mount Hunter and Buxton towers are in addition to the one already operating successfully at Werombi, meaning significantly improved mobile coverage is on its way to many parts of the Wollondilly,” Mr Taylor said.

“In total, there will be four towers in Wollondilly funded under Round 1 of this programme, which is a $100 million commitment by the Government - and Hume did very well with 18 new or upgraded base stations funded.”

Mr Taylor said the Coalition Government was determined to boost mobile phone coverage across regional and rural Australia, and the Mobile Black Spot Programme was an ongoing demonstration of that commitment.

“The rollout of these towers is gathering momentum throughout the electorate and I’m pleased to say Wollondilly is in the thick of the action, with the Werombi tower ‘on air’ for several months now, and planning for Nattai to start in the middle of this year,” he said.

The Coalition Government has committed an additional $60 million for Round 2 of the programme. Locations of new or upgraded base stations to be funded under Round 2 are expected to be announced by the end of 2016.

The full rollout of all 499 mobile base stations funded under Round 1 will occur over three years.

The rollout sequence is being determined by Telstra and Vodafone based on various factors, such as obtaining local government planning approval and landowner agreement where necessary, and/or the ability to access existing infrastructure, power and backhaul.

For more information about the Mobile Black Spot Programme visit www.communications.gov.au/mobile_coverage  or www.telstra.com.au/blackspots .