Upgrade of the Telstra Network to 5G in Grawin
Published on 19 February 2024
Telstra is upgrading 4G coverage and bringing new 5G connectivity in Grawin, near Cumborah
14 February 2024:
Telstra will be upgrading its mobile base station in Grawin, near Cumborah by adding additional infrastructure to bring a better 4G user experience and preparation for 5G to the community, but the works will require a series of temporary outages or reduction in mobile coverage.
These improvements will temporarily impact Telstra mobile coverage at various times from Tuesday 20 February, until Tuesday 27 February 2024.
The first phase of disruptions will occur from 8am on Tuesday 20 February to Thursday 22 February, with the network coverage being restored at 4pm each day.
There will be full site outage between Friday 23 February until 5pm Saturday 24 February 2024, there will be no mobile network coverage during this period. This will be followed by sector-by-sector disruptions for call testing until Tuesday 27 February.
If all goes to plan and weather permitting, residents should notice improvement in Telstra mobile services by Tuesday 27 February 2024.
Telstra mobile customers will receive text messages advising of the upcoming work.
Landline services, NBN internet services and mobile coverage from other providers will not be impacted. Any calls to Triple Zero from a Telstra mobile when the site is off air will automatically be diverted to any working mobile network for connection to emergency services.
Telstra Regional General Manager, Michael Marom said while our crews need to work during daylight for safety, we’ll only be switching off the site when we need to and will have it back on as quickly as possible.
“Where possible we will just be switching off the parts of the tower we are working on, leaving the rest operational. While coverage and capacity will decline during this time, we want to keep the amount of time the site is off air to an absolute minimum,” Mr Marom said.
“There’s never a good time to undertake this sort of work but once it is completed, it will mean better mobile services for local residents.
“As a company, we heavily invest in improving regional connectivity and this site is another example of our commitment. Over the past seven years to the end of FY23, Telstra invested $11 billion in our mobile network nationally, with $4 billion of this invested in our regional mobile network.”
Tips for improving connectivity while works are underway
For mobile coverage in the interim, if residents have access to a Wi-Fi signal at home or at work, Telstra encourages residents to activate Wi-Fi calling. This is a free setting on most popular mobile phones and allows your mobile to use a Wi-Fi network to make and receive mobile calls. To find out more they can google Telstra Wi-Fi calling or search in your settings icon on your phone.
We know many businesses use the Telstra network for their EFTPOS terminals. However, Telstra does not operate the EFTPOS network; it is operated by financial institutions. Many EFTPOS terminals can also be connected using fixed line or Wi-Fi/NBN internet connections. Retailers should contact their bank for more information and details on how to switch between these methods to ensure continuous service.
General
Long term benefits of the site upgrade
The roll out of 5G connectivity for the first time in the area means customers with Telstra 5G mobile devices will be able to enjoy a better mobile experience. The upgrade also brings added benefits for customers on the Telstra 4G network with more capacity, providing better network connectivity and less congestion when it’s busier.
“We’re continuing to expand our 5G network across location and nationally we’re adding new sites to the network every week. Upgrades such as these continue to demonstrate Telstra’s ongoing commitment to regional Australia,” Mr Marom said.
Once completed, the Grawin site will join more than 4,900 Telstra 5G sites on-air within selected areas of more than four hundred cities and towns across Australia. 85 per cent of all Australians now having the ability to access to the Telstra 5G network where they live.
For customers wishing to access 5G on the Telstra network, they will need a 5G capable device so for some people, that may mean upgrading their current device.