Mobile phone towers across the Mid Coast will be able to operate longer when power outages occur or natural disasters strike, following a major investment by the Federal Government.
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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 the country, including Elands, Wherrol Flat, Firefly, Girvan and Mt Douglas in the Mid Coast region.
The program is part of the $37.1 million Strengthening Telecommunications Against Natural Disasters (STAND) package.
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Federal member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie welcomed the funding and said the upgrades were deemed as critical to strengthening telecommunications in the region following last year's bushfires.
The mobile phone towers will be able to provide a minimum of 12 hours of back-up power following the upgrades.
"It is imperative that as we move more towards mobile telecommunications, our mobile phone towers infrastructure needs to be more reliable and resilient," Dr Gillespie said.
"Telecommunications - including mobile phone towers - rely on power to operate. 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 our towns and villages during and after a natural disaster."
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