Two-thirds of Connecting Victoria projects now complete

Victorian Minister for Government Services Natalie Hutchins has announced that two-thirds of projects under the Connecting Victoria program have been completed. The program is delivering 1300 mobile and broadband projects, with more than 900 of these in regional Victoria.

More than 850 projects have now been completed across the state, with more than 50 of these taking place in regional Victoria over the past three months. This includes an upgrade of a communications tower to 5G capability on the summit of the extinct volcano Mount Blackwood, located east of Ballarat in Moorabool Shire.

The upgraded tower, operated by TPG, is one of many Connecting Victoria projects completed in the shire, including 15 upgrades to existing mobile infrastructure, three new mobile infrastructure builds, and two new mobile resilience projects. Up to 12 more Connecting Victoria mobile projects are planned for the shire.

Another recent milestone is the completion of 100 new mobile tower projects; these projects consist of brand new mobile towers, as well as tower upgrades for 5G use and for additional telecommunications providers. 200 mobile resilience projects have also been completed, involving the installation of battery backups to make towers more resilient during natural disasters.

While the federal government is responsible for telecommunications services in Australia, the Connecting Victoria program seeks to invest in mobile and internet infrastructure to address connectivity gaps in regional communities. The state government believes reliable coverage is essential for communities to access emergency services and check on family during emergencies.

“Connecting Victoria is all about making our state the best connected in Australia — and this latest milestone shows we are well on the way to achieving that goal,” Hutchins said.

“More than two million Victorian homes and businesses will benefit from Connecting Victoria’s projects — helping Victorians to stay connected with family, work and study.”

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