Grey nomads and other travellers are reportedly among those being put at extreme risk by patchy mobile phone coverage on main roads through WA’s East Pilbara.
Local residents and trucking companies say the state of the phone coverage between Port Hedland and Marble Bar is dangerous for all users.
Qube Pilbara haulage manager Donald White told the ABC that basic safety was the main concern.
“Unless you have access to a satellite phone out there you’re potentially at an extreme risk, depending on the circumstances,” he said. “We have systems in place to reduce our risk … however, general road users do not.”
Mr White said as well as transport operators using the road, there was a steady stream of prospectors and grey nomads.
“I’ve relied on the services from out in the Coppin’s Gap when a river was flooded in, where I required helicopter assistance to remove people out of a dangerous location during floods resulting from a tropical low or cyclone,” he said. “And it’s those services and communication links that we rely on to help each other out.”
Mr White told the ABC that truck drivers often were first responders in emergency situations.
“We’ve been first on the scene for vehicle accidents,” he said. “We’ve had to transfer people into areas where they can get assistance or even bring them right through to Port Hedland.”
While Qube’s truck drivers receive training as first responders, Mr White said more needed to be done to fix the phone signal.
Locals say they have been ongoing issue for years with the Coppin’s Gap Telstra tower, which is situated on Yarrie Station about 140 kilometres from Marble Bar.
“Telstra has to come to the party … they’ve got to provide a solution or be a part of the solution to get further coverage in these regions,” Mr White told the ABC. “Sometimes the reception is good but sometimes it drops out for up to a week.”
Telstra regional general manager Michael Patterson said the extreme heat at Coppin’s Gap was exacerbating the problems affecting the tower’s power but work was underway to fix it. He told the ABC there were plans to upgrade the tower from 3G to 4G within the coming months.
Except for the coastal areas mobile reception is non existent 10 to 15 Km out of town and most outback towns are only 3G
Communications in Australia is just an extortion racket. No matter what it was or is today, the companies charge high prices for poor products and we are forced to look for expensive alternatives. Mobile phone coverage is very poor and internet of any form is abysmal, third world countries can do better. Experience as a touring cyclist overseas woke me up to the poor state of affairs in this country , company culture has to be changed “profits before productivity”
Most 3rd world countries aren’t the size of Australia with so little population.
A PLB is not, in my opinion, a very expensive item. If travelling in “poor or no reception area’s”, do yourself a favor and purchase one (around $300 one of charge).
When travelling in South America we were amazed that we had decent mobile phone reception at the top of Machu Picchu in Peru and even in the middle of Lake Titicaca. Peru accesses satellites for mobile phone connection. In a country as vast as Australia, with most farmers, rural workers, miners, travellers and tourists with no reception due to no accessible mobile phone towers we have chosen to use, and stick with, a limited and out-dated technology that is not suited to a country with a population as spread out as Australia. Even in Perth hills residents can’t get decent mobile phone reception. It is time for Australia to look at forward-thinking options. If Peru can utilise satellite reception, surely Australia could have ALL farmers, miners, travellers in the outback etc with a reliable phone service. This is both a major safety issue, as well as equal opportunity to access technology for business, schooling and post-schooling learning.
I change to Telstra Wifi for my Motorhome hoping to be able to work on the road. I haven’t been away from the coast yet but I think I could be in trouble from reading this article and the comments
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We have Telstra and have found reception in most places except along the Stuart Hwy between Katherine and 3 ways. Optus apparently is OK and there is phone box in Dunmarra. So people we have met have both, and person has Optus the other Telstra. I have been able to get internet in most places, WA is very good. I have a Netgear Nighthawk router with an booster antenna which works well.
I have had better mobile reception when in the wilds of Tanzania than out back Aussie trips, so my hubby bought me a spot gen 4 for Xmas for my next solo trip
Coverage is of 90% of the Australian population, not, 90% of Australian continent.
Get real and don’t expect Telstra to cover in it’s entirety this huge and sparsely populated continent. Spend a few bob and buy yourself a suitable antenna and a booster. Half the trouble is the fact that the parasitic “alternative” carriers are sucking the profits out of the populated areas and leaving Telstra to provide the services in the poorer populated areas without the compensation usually derived from the city areas. Go take some responsibility for matters into your own hands.
Parasitic hummm maybe if Telstra charge like the other not extorting huge fees for service people would use it. We did a trip out near Dubbo, Walgett and lightning ridge and service was poor for the cost charge just to access it.
Worst mistake ever made making Telstra a private company just for short term gain and long term poor quality service.
Live your ‘life’ outside the handheld device, smell the wildflowers, enjoy the countryside, speak to your itinerant neighbours, don’t expect citylike facilities in the back of beyond. If you want (have to have) t.v., buy a satellite rx system.
Here Here!! While there are some gaps in the mobile coverage area it is generally pretty good. If you want continual coverage stay at home. It is unreasonable to expect that you should get a mobile signal everywhere you go.
Buy a CellFi Go (Telstra) and it will boost the available signal (if any)
Expect problems as they are due to the tyranny of distance and high cost of providing and maintaining in harsh locales. Telstra are by far the best overall provider throughout Australia, particularly in smaller towns. The problem will escalate when/if 5G is the only service desired as the distances between retransmission installations will be less than the usual 4G in current use. 3G is due to be eliminated in the near forseeable future.
To be honest, the further away from cell coverage the better. Of course it would be safer to have the coverage, but it would also be safer to have all roads tarred. We crave convenience and will destroy the very things that draw many of us to these places – relative remote simplicity and respite from the madding crowds, even if just for a while. It can be stripped away in an instant by the sound of a mobile phone ringing, or by someone who thinks the world needs to hear their conversation.
A bit naive, I guess, and I have had my moments of anxiety, but I enjoy travels to a simpler time.
That is why have HF radio ;;member vks 737 worth the money,
A couple of years ago I was up in Cape York when all telecommunication north of Cairns ceased. Someone put a digger through a cable. When I say all I mean all. Telstra and Optus mobile, bank ATMs and no credit card transactions. Under the PMG and Telecom the network was designed with redundancy. Lose a cable and there was an alternative route. But the PMG and Telecom, being Government entities, provided a service whereas Telstra is beholden to shareholder profits. Norway, a sparsely populated country with difficult terrain does better. I was never without data or phone coverage weather in a small village nestled in a deep valley or on a mountain top. There the infrastructure is provided by the local government council though the telephone service is provided by national companies. All the service providers run on the same hardware. That is probably why where I was staying, even the farms have fibre-optic internet. The councils also provide the electric power lines, all underground and sharing the same conduits as the fibre-optics for the internet and phone service. Australia went from being a world leader in telecommunications research, to a buyer of technology.