Telstra trialling power pole small cells

Telstra will trial the installation of small cells on TasNetworks’ power poles to test the feasibility of using them to help overcome some of Tasmania’s mobile black spots.

Telstra CEO Andy Penn said that we’re “at the forefront of delivering world-class mobile services to Tasmanians, and we’re determined to continue to lead as the development and introduction of 5G technology commences by 2020”.

According to Telstra, in FY18 it will invest $14.5 million on 45 projects across Tasmania to:

• improve and maintain mobile coverage through capacity and speed upgrades to existing base stations,
• add new small cells for 4G coverage,
• continue its contribution to the Mobile Black Spot Program.
   

“With the construction of a standard mobile base station typically costing several hundreds of thousands of dollars, small cells may allow us to deliver mobile coverage and capacity to smaller communities and areas where the construction of a mobile base station would otherwise be uneconomical,” said Michael Patterson, area general manager, Tasmania for Telstra Country Wide.

Pictured: TasNetworks CEO Lance Balcombe (left) and Telstra CEO Andy Penn.

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