Telstra customers in Gnowangerup, a town of about 1,200 people 350 kilometres south-east of Perth, say the company's decision to conduct network upgrades lasting up to eight days — with outages of up to eight hours each day — risks hampering emergency responders in a region that sees frequent rescue operations in the Stirling Range.
Telstra network upgrades in regional WA town raise emergency response concerns
Telstra customers in Gnowangerup, a town of about 1,200 people 350 kilometres south-east of Perth, say the company's decision to conduct network upgrades lasting up to eight days — with outages of up to eight hours each day — risks hampering emergency responders in a region that sees frequent rescue operations in the Stirling Range.
Telstra told customers last week to expect service outages beginning Friday, August 14, lasting up to eight days, as it upgrades its 4G and 5G networks. The company said calls to Triple Zero (000) would connect to another mobile network if one was available, and that NBN, satellite internet, landline services, and other providers' mobile coverage would not be affected.
Gnowangerup sits at the base of the Stirling Range in Western Australia's Great Southern region. The area is described as one of WA's most profitable grain-producing regions and is a year-round tourist destination for visitors to Bluff Knoll and the Stirling Range National Park.
Gnowangerup State Emergency Service manager Mandy Hanna said SES volunteers are often the first to respond to road crashes and distress calls on Bluff Knoll, and that volunteers rely heavily on mobile phones to coordinate their movements. She said she personally has a Starlink satellite but that most SES members do not.
The disruptions are also affecting local businesses. Darren Robertson, owner of the town's only cafe, said the outages coincide with his opening hours, leaving his eftpos system largely unusable. With the adjacent ATM also out of money, Robertson said the cafe has been accepting IOUs from local customers but cannot serve out-of-town visitors who do not carry cash.
- The source does not state what specific network infrastructure is being upgraded or why the work requires outages of up to eight hours per day.
- The source does not state whether Telstra consulted local emergency services, the Shire, or businesses before scheduling the upgrades.
- The source does not state whether alternative mobile network coverage is actually available in Gnowangerup for Triple Zero calls to route through.
- The source does not state how many of the eight planned days had elapsed at the time of publication or what the completion date is.
- The source does not state the position or response of St John's Ambulance volunteers, who are mentioned by Hanna as also affected.
- The source does not state what increased scrutiny Telstra's regional service is said to be facing, beyond describing it as existing.
Read the original at ABC News Australia