GRANT District Council will step up its campaign to land a mobile phone tower at Glenburnie to end coverage blackspots at the multi-million-dollar livestock centre and surrounding communities.
Frustrations about the unreliable and patchy coverage at the Glenburnie Saleyards spilled over among elected members this week with one councillor labelling the situation as a “disgrace”.
According to fed-up stock agents at the livestock exchange yesterday, the lack of reliable coverage was a pressing issue given potentially millions of dollars in livestock transactions passed through the centre each week.
It is understood agents are forced to scramble to their vehicles or climb railings at the saleyards to find coverage during bustling weekly sales to speak with buyers.
Concerns were also raised about the lack of coverage at The Barn at OB Flat and surrounding rural communities, including multi-million dollar farming enterprises and rural living areas.
Veteran agent David Creek – from Elders Mount Gambier – warned the unreliable coverage at the saleyards was hurting business given around 50pc of transactions were now done by phone.
“The service is not reliable, but the message that we need a mobile tower is not getting through,” Mr Creek told The Border Watch.
“We have been waiting 25 years for this and it is frustrating given more than $100m in livestock transactions pass through the centre each year.”
While one option is to apply for funding for the installation of a Telstra 4G Small Cell solution at the livestock exchange and The Barn, elected members called on council to look at the bigger picture and push for a tower and not just take a cheaper and less expansive option.
Cr Barry Kuhl said the council should lobby for a tower solution to improve mobile coverage across the district and not just support an inferior project.
“The saleyards is a multi-million-dollar business for the state. If they cannot put a mobile phone tower out there, it is a disgrace,” Cr Kuhl said.
Interjecting in the debate, Grant district mayor Richard Sage called on council to take the issue up with the State Government and lobby Regional Development Minister Tim Whetstone for a tower solution.
“Last time I was speaking with his advisors they acknowledged the contribution of the saleyards to the region,” Mr Sage said.
“We will follow this up with Mr Whetstone and Telstra so we are front centre of the next round of applications.”
Council economic development advisor Mike Ryan said the issue of the lack of coverage at The Barn and saleyards had been raised for many years.
“Complaints have been regularly received about Telstra’s mobile phone coverage at the saleyards – it is either patchy or there is a lack of coverage in various parts of the complex or intermittent dropouts during calls in progress,” Mr Ryan said in a report.
He said possible solutions included installing Telstra 4G Small Cell services at the saleyards, which is the same infrastructure that has been installed at Mount Gambier Airport, Donovans and Port MacDonnell under the previous round of mobile black spot program.
“Telstra indicated that a Telstra 4G Small Cell Solution would also overcome difficulties with Telstra mobile coverage being experienced at The Barn,” Mr Ryan wrote.
The SA Government has committed $10m in funding to support the next round of the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program.
Councillors passed a motion for Mr Sage to lobby the State Government for a tower solution.
