Ellis call answered for expansion of Mobile Booster trial

Member for Narungga Fraser Ellis MP is very pleased his calls last September for the Mobile Network Extension Devices Pilot Program to be extended into the Narungga electorate have been answered, bringing access to subsidised booster devices to locals living with intermittent or limited mobile coverage.

“The Mobile Network Extension Devices Pilot Program has been initially confined to trials in the Adelaide Hills and Mount Barker Council areas and my argument has been that this does not provide a large enough sample size nor topography and population density diversity”, Mr Ellis said.

“I am thrilled with the announcement from Minister Scriven today, that this Pilot Program offering subsidised Telstra GO Repeaters to amplify network signals is to be extended into our region. We have a large number of mobile blackspots across the electorate that despite repeated pleading with Governments are yet to see any real inroads made in fixing them,” he said.

“Whilst this announcement does not fix all black spots, this trial does present another option for customers who wish to install a booster to improve their service.

“It has long been unfair that people who live in country areas should have to foot the bill personally for these boosters to receive coverage that metropolitan areas take for granted and this trial is an excellent way of minimising that cost.

“It will also be very interesting to see what devices can improve coverage in our particular patch of the world and I look forward to seeing what results roll in”, Mr Ellis said.

“None of this will replace our work to ensure entire communities have access to appropriate levels of phone service,” Mr Ellis said. “But it is a good interim measure to ensure that people, and business, have sufficient service to maintain their daily lives.”