The mobile phone tower at Winninowie in the Upper Spencer Gulf area will be able to keep operating longer during power failures during or after natural disasters thanks to a major new investment by the Federal Government.
The Government is funding providers to extend the battery back-up at six mobile phone towers in total across Grey to provide a minimum of 12 hours of back-up power through the Strengthening Telecommunications Emergency Resilience Program
Federal Member for Grey said he was very pleased with this announcement of funding for the Winninowie tower.
“Telecommunications, including mobile phone towers, need reliable power sources to operate,” he said.
“If a fire goes through an area and an exchange loses power services will only operate as long as the batteries last.”
“This investment will allow mobile phone towers to keep operating for at least 12 hours after the power goes out, making a real difference for communities during and after a natural disaster.
“The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s report into the impact of the 2019-20 summer bushfires on telecommunications networks found that 88 per cent of outages were caused by power outages rather than direct fire damage.
“Extending the battery life of the mobile phone towers will increase telecommunications resilience in Grey and give people some peace of mind in these situations.”
The Government is providing a total of $13.2 million to Telstra, Optus and TPG to extend the battery back up at 467 mobile phone towers across Australia, under stage one of the program.
Other towers in Grey to receive funding are- Cungena, Farm Beach, Puntabie, all on Eyre Peninsula and Curramulka and Port Moorowie on Yorke Peninsua.
More information on the program is available on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications website.
Media Contact: Leonie Lloyd-Smith 02 62774967 December 1 2020