LOCAL resident Shelley Faull has described the Telstra mobile phone service to the village of Barrington and its surrounds as being “woeful”.
According to Telstra’s Network Coverage Map the whole village of Barrington is covered by its mobile service, and there is nothing to indicate that Barrington residents are likely to experience issues using their mobile phones.
According to locals and visitors however, the map does not match their lived experience.
“I have to stand on my verandah to get any mobile connection, and then I have calls that keep dropping out,” said local Jo Davidson.
“It’s a very poor service.”
Nick Wardle, who is involved with the Barrington Hall, explained that the mobile service was inconsistent.
“The hall is an emergency refuge centre if there is a fire, flood or other disaster, and there is no mobile coverage at the hall.
“I raised the issue with Telstra but was told that they have no plans to improve connectivity to the area.”
Bucketts Way Neighbourhood Group (BWNG) provides essential in-home aged care and disability services across Gloucester and the surrounding areas, including Barrington, and their support workers travel daily to visit clients in their homes.
“The communities of Gloucester and surrounding areas continue to struggle with poor and unreliable mobile phone coverage, but the impact is felt most heavily by some of our most vulnerable community members – older residents who rely on support services to remain safe and independent at home,” said BWNG CEO Anna Burley.
“Reliable phone service is not a luxury in this context – it is a critical safety tool.
“Additionally, most, if not all, fall pendants and personal alarms are connected through Telstra and go through to a 24-hour monitoring centre.
“People in areas such as Barrington, Craven and further out do not have any suitable options for a personal falls alarm because of the lack of mobile service.
“We are calling on telecommunications providers and all levels of government to act urgently to improve phone coverage in and around Gloucester.
“Our elderly residents and the workers who care for them deserve the reassurance that, when help is needed, a call can always get through.”
However, it seems that Telstra has no plans to improve its mobile service to Barrington.
“Our 4G coverage is available in Barrington, but the area’s terrain does affect it in some parts,” said a Telstra spokesperson.
“We continually investigate new opportunities to further expand our mobile coverage, including co-investment opportunities such as the Federal Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program and Regional Connectivity Program.
“Residents can improve their mobile coverage by using their nbn connection to access wi-fi.”
By John WATTS
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