Community
2 May, 2024
Outages expected as Telstra wraps upgrades
INTERRUPTIONS to service and coverage are expected as Telstra completes the final days of upgrades to its mobile base station in Terang.
As Western District Newspapers reported in March, Telstra has been undertaking infrastructure works at its Terang mobile base station which are expected to improve 4G coverage across the region, and allow customers to utilise the 5G network.
A Telstra spokesperson said the completion of the work on the mobile base station would be complete between May 1-3, but outages were expected.
“The work will require some temporary outages or reduction in mobile coverage during the day,” the spokesperson said.
“Telstra mobile customers will receive a text message advising them of the upcoming works.
“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.”
For mobile coverage during outages, residents using Telstra services are advised to access Wi-Fi calling at home or work if possible.
Wi-Fi calling is a free setting on most modern phones which allows a phone to use the Wi-Fi network to make and receive calls, and can be activated in the settings menu.
The Telstra spokesperson said many businesses use the Telstra network for EFTPOS terminals, however cautioned the EFTPOS network is operated by financial institutions rather than Telstra.
“Many EFTPOS terminals can also be connected using fixed line or Wi-Fi/NBN internet connections,” the spokesperson said.
“Retailers should contact their bank for more information and details on how to switch between these methods to ensure continuous service.”