Improved mobile phone coverage for Central Australian homelands

29 January 2023

Families at five more Aboriginal homelands in Central Australia can now reliably make calls or download data to their phone or tablet, thanks to the new mobile hotspots.

Five new mobile phone hotspots are now in operation in the remote homelands of Petyale, Ankweleyelengkwe, Welere, Urrermerne and Payeperrentye.

The Territory Government continues its partnership with the Centre for Appropriate Technology (CfAT) with an additional $300,000 program to deliver hotspots to residents and tourists.

There are now 53 mobile phone hotspots at very remote sites throughout the Territory.

Mobile phone ‘hotspots’ focus and amplify the signal from a distant tower.

Connectivity to the wider world brings opportunity – for education, health and livelihoods.

The mobile phone hotspot is an innovative way to address the Territory’s connectivity challenges and is developed by the CfAT in Alice Springs.

The program also will support CfAT to inspect and make repairs to hotspots installed across the Territory.

CfAT has trained local Aboriginal people to install the hotspot technology. They use GPS to identify sites, test the signal to find the best position and then lay a concrete pad and assemble the stands and antenna.

Quotes Attributable to Minister for Corporate, and Digital Development Selena Uibo

“The vast remoteness of the Northern Territory makes the mobile phone connectivity extremely important for remote communities and it makes our investment in this program extremely important.

“This Territory Labor Government invests in the bush. Providing this technology will lead to better education and livelihoods for those communities.

Quotes to attribute to Peter Renehan, Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Appropriate Technology:

“We are extremely proud that our Aboriginal Technology team was able to successfully undertake the site assessment and installation of 5 new Mobile Telephone Hotspots in Central Australian Homelands.

“On the back of initiatives like this, CfAT is aiming to increase the number of Aboriginal people it employs in its Aboriginal Technology Team as we continue to expand the range of technology services we provide in Central Australia.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Northern Territory Government to undertake maintenance on Mobile Telephone Hotspots in 2024.

“We strongly believe that reliable and maintainable digital connectivity will significantly improve the livelihoods of Aboriginal people choosing to return and live on their country. 

Northern Territory Government