An inability to call triple-0 and a reliance on Wi-Fi calling are some of the issues Mount Atkinson residents say they are continuing to face due to a lack of phone reception.
Mount Atkinson Advocacy Forum member Preet Bajwa said since he moved to the area two years ago, his phone alternates between zero and one bar of signal.
“We are not even able to access triple-0,” Mr Bajwa said.
“Last year, … one of the [tradespeople] was working at one of the houses in the community, he got injured, and he was not able to reach out to emergency services. Luckily there was a woman passing by who saw him injured … she drove two to three kilometres to find reception and to give emergency services a call.”
Mr Bajwa said with about 12,000 residents in Mount Atkinson and the development being only 25 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, he feels the community is being “left out”.
“[We] did reach out to the federal MP’s office last year … I think it was in February 2024 … And then, after several follow-ups, we were notified in October 2024, that the said site was awarded funding via [a Peri-Urban Mobile Program Round 2 Grant] and then we again reached out to them again in February 2025 for the status – and we were told it’s been under negotiation [for] the last one year with the Department of Infrastructure.”
Fellow Mount Atkinson Advocacy Forum member Giri Khara said he feels that in new developments and growth communities, essential services like mobile connectivity are still facing “several planning hurdles across the government layers” and taking four to five years to deliver.
Gorton MP Alice Jordan-Baird said she has advocated to Communications Minister Anika Wells for improved connectivity in Mt Atkinson.
“There have been incidents where residents haven’t been able to call emergency services which is a matter of great concern,” she said.
“I’m aware that this issue is ongoing and will continue to raise it with the department of infrastructure.”
A Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts spokesperson said a new mobile tower at Mt Atkinson will be delivered by Waveconn and the department is currently negotiating a contract with the company for the site.
Telstra regional general manager Steve Tinker 4G and 5G coverage was available in Mt Atkinson, but the urban density of the area makes it difficult to get a good signal in places.
“We’ve been in discussions with the community and Melton council, and we have plans in the pipeline to build a new mobile base station in the area, which will improve mobile coverage as well as capacity for customers,” he said.
In a statement, Optus said it was committed to investing in new infrastructure to enhance coverage in Mt Atkinson and other expanding communities.
“To improve coverage, Optus is planning to build two new mobile sites in the area, which will provide stronger, more reliable service to support the growing community,” the statement read.
“We are aware of coverage issues affecting some residents in the Mt Atkinson estate. While Optus customers may experience some service issues, customers are still able to make triple-0 calls if another carrier has coverage in the area.
“In the interim, we have made adjustments to nearby towers to enhance coverage for the local community.”
