PHONE HOME: 4G small cell base stations, like this one in Oodnadatta, South Australia, will be constructed at the Devils Marbles Hotel and the Wycliffe Well Roadhouse and Renner Springs roadhouses.
MAJOR roadhouses along the Stuart Highway will have mobile phone coverage early next year.
Today Telstra announced it will construct 4G small cell base stations at Devils Marbles, Wycliffe Well and Renner Springs.
The small cell technology will be connected to the Telstra network by either optic fibre cables or satellite links.
Regional General Manager for Telstra in the NT, Nic Danks, said connectivity is more important than ever for people visiting or living in the Territory.
“What this technology enables us to do is to provide Telstra coverage at common places where people stop to eat, sleep or refuel, enabling them to be able to connect with family and friends,” he said.
“It will also encourage travellers to spend longer at these locations, providing more opportunities for local businesses and supporting tourism experiences.”
The range of 4G coverage will vary depending on local conditions but should provide mobile handheld coverage of several hundred metres and could be increased if people are using an external aerial or approved mobile phone repeater.
The small cell base stations will also be constructed at Dunmarra, Stuarts Well and Curtin Springs, providing new coverage to people travelling to Uluru.
Four popular tourist sites at the Bark Hut Inn at Kakadu, Kings Canyon, Wangi Falls and Litchfield Tourist Park are also in line for new connectivity.
