Telstra upgrades promise faster, more reliable services in the Northern Rivers

TELSTRA is boosting its mobile coverage throughout the Northern Rivers with a $12 million investment in the region.

Over the next year, a series of upgrades and new construction projects will be rolled out across 25 locations, including in Ballina, Byron and Tweed.

“Customers near the upgraded sites should see and feel a difference with noticeable improvements to speeds and overall experience from this year especially while using their mobile in busy areas,” Telstra regional general manager for Northern NSW Michael Marom said. “This includes better streaming, faster uploads, and more reliable connectivity during peak times.”

The telecommunications and technology company has begun upgrading hundreds of mobile sites at its busiest locations around the country using Ericsson’s AIR 3284 — the world’s first 5G triple-band radio. This technology boosts capacity, improves coverage and is central to building a high-performing, programmable network.

Eligible Telstra customers with compatible phones can now also access Australia’s first satellite-to-mobile product, Telstra Satellite Messaging. This service allows users to send and receive text messages via Starlink Direct to Cell satellites when outside the reach of Telstra’s mobile coverage area.

“This capability will enable basic texting on your phone in some of Australia’s hardest to reach places. It will be helpful to get a message out or to be contactable in remote areas where our mobile network doesn’t reach,” Mr Marom said. “While satellite to mobile messaging is an exciting new technology it’s important to remember the service will initially be limited to messaging only while outside with a clear line of sight to the sky.”

With extreme weather events becoming more frequent and unpredictable, Telstra has also upgraded more than 50 public phones in the region, including in Brunswick Heads and Lismore, ensuring they have free Wi-Fi and extended battery backup to help keep communities connected during natural disasters.