WA minister says mobile will beat radio for emergency coverage

The Western Australia community of Wilga has been given improved mobile-phone coverage and wireless broadband services, by virtue of the state government's Royalties for Regions $40 million Regional Mobile Communications Project (RMCP).

Adopting a position that the public-safety communications community will find interesting, Commerce Minister Michael Mischin said the project, undertaken by Telstra, “means that Shire of Boyup Brook employees can now use mobile phones rather than radio, and emergency services are able to attend callouts faster than ever before”.

“Improving mobile voice and high-speed data coverage in regional areas is critical to achieving a range of outcomes, from increasing safety and reducing emergency response times to improving business and educational opportunities, health and liveability,” the minister added.

The RMCP has improved mobile coverage across more than 95,000 km² in Western Australia and Highway 1 now has almost continuous coverage.

Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said commencing next year, the state government’s new $45 million Regional Telecommunications Project would deliver further communications towers in small communities and at strategic sites to boost reception across WA.