Optus strengthens coverage in Northern Rivers

Optus customers in Main Arm, in the Northern Rivers region of NSW, are receiving a boost to their mobile and internet coverage, with the telecommunications company switching on a new tower to enhance coverage to 490 local premises.

The site, located roughly 600 m from Durrumbul Hall, Main Arm, will provide Optus customers with greater communication while living, working and driving through the Village of Main Arm. The tower will cover 36 km² in surface area and 17 km in length of major roads.

With the recent Northern Rivers floods challenging regional connectivity, Optus said it understands the necessity for the Village of Main Arm and surrounding communities to have a resilient and versatile network to withstand connection-threatening natural disasters.

“We’re proud to be offering our customers with much-needed access to our fast 5G service, as well as providing greater capacity to the Optus network in the local region,” said Optus Territory General Manager for Northern NSW Chris Simon.

“We believe digital connectivity is vital for people living in Main Arm, for both safety as well as economic development. The installation of the tower is a necessity for local residents to have a better user experience with the network, higher-quality call experiences and faster downloads for people living and working in the Main Arm and Mullumbimby area.

“The Optus tower in Main Arm will also allow competition and choice for local businesses and residents by offering our best network ever at a great value. We are committed to giving our customers access to reliable mobile coverage and high-quality internet.”

The expansion of Optus’s telecommunications infrastructure and mobile coverage was supported by the NSW Government’s Connecting Country Communities Fund, with a contribution of more than $375,000. Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the new Main Arm tower was a big win for the community, who now have fast and reliable mobile coverage when and where it’s needed.

“Whether it’s staying in touch with family and friends or making business calls or appointments, having access to a reliable mobile network is crucial for our regional communities,” Toole said.

“This tower was delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $50 million Connecting Country Communities Fund and reconfirms our commitment to improve mobile coverage across rural and regional NSW.”

The expansion is part of an ongoing project to improve coverage, reliability and speed across the Optus mobile network.