The Victorian Government has marked the completion of more than 850 mobile and broadband projects, improving connectivity across the state.
Victorian Minister for Government Services, Natalie Hutchins, announced more than two thirds of projects delivered through the Connecting Victoria program have been completed.
The program is delivering 1,300 mobile and broadband projects, with more than 900 of these in regional Victoria.
Over the last three months, more than 50 projects have been completed in regional Victoria, including 14 in Greater Bendigo, 13 in Greater Geelong, and nine in Ballarat.
This includes an upgrade of a communications tower to 5G capability on the summit of the extinct volcano Mount Blackwood, located east of Ballarat in Moorabool Shire.
The upgraded tower, operated by carrier TPG, is one of many Connecting Victoria projects completed in the shire, including 15 upgrades to existing mobile infrastructure, three new mobile infrastructure builds, and two new mobile resilience projects. Up to 12 more Connecting Victoria mobile projects are planned for the shire.
Another recent milestone is the completion of 100 new mobile tower projects. These projects consist of brand-new mobile towers, as well as tower upgrades for 5G use and for additional telecommunications providers.
Two hundred mobile resilience projects have also been completed. These involve the installation of battery back-ups to make towers more resilient during natural disasters.
Reliable mobile and internet coverage is essential for communities to access emergency services and check on family during emergencies.
Minister Hutchins said that connecting Victoria is all about making the state the best connected in Australia.
“This latest milestone shows we are well on the way to achieving that goal,” Hutchins said.
“More than two million Victorian homes and businesses will benefit from Connecting Victoria’s projects – helping Victorians to stay connected with family, work and study.”
