Harold Martin has never been able to get mobile phone reception in Goolma.
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It’s been a bugbear of the publican’s for more than a decade.
“There’s a lot of traffic going through, people break down and come in to use the phone,” Mr Martin said.
“Every week we have people asking to use the phone.”
The mobile black spot is so bad police have recently stopped to use the pub phone despite there being a payphone outside.
“People just don’t carry around change anymore,” Mr Martin said.
Goolma is one of multiple Mid-Western Region black spots to be fixed under a joint state and federal government $100 million Mobile Black Spot Program.
“Last week eight people stopped to tell us there was stock on the road, if they had mobiles they could have called the police to warn them.”
Federal member for Parkes, Mark Coulton said the electorate will receive 10 new or upgraded mobile base stations improving coverage in Grattai, Lue, Windeyer, Capertee, Camboon, Rylstone and Kandos.
“This is a great outcome for the region, with a total of $6.40 million to be invested on new or improved mobile coverage in local areas,” Mr Coulton said.
A further $60 million in funding was announced for Round 2 of the Mobile Black Spot Programme together with Telstra’s commitment to build 200 new 4G mini base stations.
Mr Martin welcomed improved coverage for practical and safety reasons.
“A neighbour rolled her motorbike [recently] and was pinned, she had to pulled herself out after a few hours but she had no service she couldn’t call for help,” Mr Martin said.
“Last week eight people stopped to tell us there was stock on the road, if they had mobiles they could have called the police to warn them.”
Co-contributions from state and local governments, mobile carriers, and third party organisations, bring the total funding amount to over $385 million.
Telstra and Vodafone have been granted funding to build about 500 new or upgraded base stations nationally, covering a total of 3,000 mobile black spots from the more than 6,000 black spots nominated by the public.
The first base stations to be funded under the programme will begin to roll out in the second half of 2015, and the full roll out will continue over a three year period.