Mobile phone fails in Armstrong Creek

22 October 2021

Mobile phone services in the rapidly growing area of Armstrong Creek, including Warralily and Mt Duneed, are absolutely failing many residents of my electorate.

Weve long known Armstrong Creek would become one of the fastest growing urban areas in Australia. Yet telcos have failed to plan for adequate mobile services.

After getting many complaints about poor or non-existent mobile coverage and frequent call drop-outs, Ive begun a petition. Ive also recently held a virtual community meeting to better scope the problem.

Often people can only get coverage out the front of their house, or in one particular room. Sometimes whole streets seem to be dead zones.

My own calls drop out often as Im travelling about Armstrong Creek on official business.

And for many people it's more than simply frustrating; its a matter of life or death. I know of people with serious medical conditions unable to call for help.

Im taking peoples concerns directly to the management of the three big mobile phone carriers.

But, not only do we need to find solutions for Armstrong Creek, we must ensure future urban growth areas dont have to play mobile phone catch up.

This is a Morrison Government failure. We need robust requirements for telcos to provide adequate mobile services in new urban communities.