In an attempt to solve the Island’s mobile phone and internet problems The
Magnetic Island Ratepayers and Residents Association (MIRRA) is seeking to
gather information on non/poor internet locations and mobile phone
blackspots.
Mobile phone coverage
Townsville City Council has the responsibility of reporting mobile phone
blackspots to the Federal Government, who then supply funding to upgrade
these services to a level similar to city counterparts.
To do this MIRRA needs specific information including, where possible,
street addresses, how good or bad reception is, how often it doesn’t work
at all, any other mobile phone issues.
Please respond with all available information to blackspotmi@gmail.com
Please understand this information will be used only to gain information on
coverage of the island generally and will not be used for any other
purpose.
This is separate from internet issues which are set out below.
Internet coverage
There are currently two separate organisations planning to upgrade
internet services, but only one will obtain Federal funding.
1. NBN, which is federally funded, has just released the Sky Muster Plus
Premium and guarantee it will reach every home on the island with
free installation and a wholesale price of $65 a month. A
representative told the last MIRRA meeting (June 3) that $4 million
has been spent upgrading the Julia Creek area and work is continuing
on Palm Island to upgrade services there. This service will require the
installation of three and possibly four new towers but information on
location/size is not available yet.
2. QCN hopes to use federal funds to install a fibre-optic cable linking
the island to its Point of Interconnect in Townsville. It is seeking
support from Island residents to access these funds. Both the Shadow
Minister for Communications, David Coleman, and the NBN say the
Federal Government will not fund a fibre-optic cable to the Island
because of cost and EIS issues. However a representative from QCN
will address the next MIRRA meeting (July 1) to explain this and
answer all questions.
All residents, ratepayers and visitors are invited to this meeting which
begins at 10am July 1 at the RSL Club at 31 Hayles Ave,
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