Expansion of mobile coverage to improve safety at 18 Western Australian regional surf beaches

Expanded mobile coverage to improve safety at Western Australia’s regional surf beaches is being made possible with the state government having awarded Powertec Telecommunications a grant to commission Cel-Fi repeaters at 18 sites located from the Kimberley to the Great Southern.

The new equipment will be installed at a number of popular beaches including Cheynes Beach (Albany), Lighthouse Bay (Exmouth), Willie Creek (Broome), Salmon Beach (Windy Harbour) and Wilbinga Beach (Guilderton).

The Western Australian Government committed $1 million under the Regional Telecommunications Project to improve communication in an emergency, as well as expand mobile coverage for regional communities and businesses.

The locations were chosen in consultation with Surfing WA, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's Shark Response Unit and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

The upgrades follow the successful installation of a small cell mobile base station at Twilight Beach in Esperance in late 2020.

WA Fisheries and Regional Development Minister Don Punch noted that expanding mobile coverage at some of WA’s most remote beach “will vastly improve connectivity across regional WA and potentially save lives. In the case of an emergency, the ability to communicate quickly and effectively is vital. Investing in upgrades to telecommunications infrastructure not only enables our regional communities to thrive, in this case it is also helps to keep Western Australians safe at the beach."

Installation is expected to commence in the second half of this year.

Image. Cheynes Beach (Albany)