By Sumeyya Ilanbey
Ballarat railway line commuters can expect better mobile coverage near Bacchus Marsh after a new mobile phone tower was switched on last week.
Telecommunications giant Optus finished construction on the tower, at 301 Ironbark Road, Rowsley, last month. Mobile coverage is expected to improve along five kilometres of railway track.
The work was undertaken as part of the state government’s regional rail connectivity project.
Optus mobile access planning manager Vin Mullins said the Rowsley tower was the fifth Optus site to go live since the project was announced three years ago, with sites at Ballan, Chewton, Taradale and Pakenham East already switched on.
“Our new site at [Rowsley] complements the significant investment we have been putting into improving our regional network across Victoria,” Mr Mullins said.
Boosters have already been installed inside the Vlocity train carriages to improve mobile coverage.
Innovation and Digital Economy Minister Philip Dalidakis said he was pleased with the project’s progress.
“We realise that people in regional areas haven’t always had the coverage they deserve,” Mr Dalidakis said.
Public Transport Users Association Ballarat spokesman Ben Lever said it was “crucial” for commuters to have strong mobile signals throughout their journeys to allow people to take “full advantage” of their train commute.
“I caught a train to Melbourne shortly after the newest tower was turned on … and I didn’t notice any data black spots for the whole journey,” Mr Lever said.
