Outback Mobile Phone Coverage - small towns

Submitted: Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 10:23
ThreadID: 109558 Views:3807 Replies:5 FollowUps:9
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For info, we found out something that may be of interest to fellow travellers – don’t always assume that because you may not get mobile reception when you drive into a town that there is no mobile service available. We have found in two towns now (no doubt there are many others) that a local business will provide a very localised service that may have a coverage no bigger than a house block. In Eulo it only worked from the front verandah of the store and would not work even in the car parked in front of the store. In Milparinka it only works at the pub. So it pays to ask around if you are in need of mobile coverage……….

Cheers, Dalb
Cheers, Dalb

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Reply By: Sigmund - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 10:25

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 10:25
Good tip. Thanks.
AnswerID: 539304

Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 14:08

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 14:08
I am pretty sure that's Optus' 'femto cell' solution. Up to 25m coverage from the device which is connected via ADSL.

That's the problem - it's Optus.

It would be interesting if there was a Tesltra alternative though.

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Follow Up By: Sigmund - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 14:36

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 14:36
I doubt there's mobile coverage with Optus at Milparinka let alone ADSL.
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Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 15:52

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 15:52
The point is that you get a device from Optus that makes the coverage in a 25m ( not km ) radius
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Follow Up By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 16:05

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 16:05
There is a Testra 'device'. I have one in my house to enable NextG coverage in the blackspot areas.
At Rawnsley Park in the Flinders Ranges they have a Telstra setup near the rec room.
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Follow Up By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 16:09

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 16:09
I forgot to mention, the one at Milparinka is Telstra NexG. I have used that one on my Telstra phone too.
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FollowupID: 823940

Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Sunday, Sep 21, 2014 at 07:45

Sunday, Sep 21, 2014 at 07:45
There is a cell at Tiboburra and one on Mt Shannon about 30Km SE of Milparinka. Sure you weren't using either of those, they show coverage of Milparinka.

The usual Telstra device is a retransmit device that has an external antenna amp and internal amplifier. It boosts weaker transmissions. This could be what is being used. To my knowledge Optus are the only telco supplying do it yourself cells.

The Telstra solution needs to be in a coverage area, albeit a weak one to my knowledge.

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FollowupID: 823956

Reply By: Rangiephil - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 15:35

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 15:35
Quite a few remote caravan parks now offer Telstra coverage and rebroadcast TV . I assume via satellite as per the 80 Mile Beach Caravan Park .

http://www.eightymilebeach.com.au/7113/INFORMATION/
Regards Philip A
AnswerID: 539309

Follow Up By: Member - Rosss - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 16:00

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 16:00
Cania Gorge Big 4 have the same type of system, if they spot somebody other than a park patron in the driveway making a mobile call they turn the system off so you can't use there satellite.
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FollowupID: 823938

Follow Up By: Rangiephil - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 16:59

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 16:59
Yes,The poor managers at Cania were somehow sold a TV rebroadcast transmitter that only transmits in MPEG 4!

So they then had to buy set top boxes to provide to customers to translate to UHF.
Not many TVs will recognise an Mpeg 4 signal.
Regards Philip A
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FollowupID: 823941

Follow Up By: Member - Boobook - Sunday, Sep 21, 2014 at 07:37

Sunday, Sep 21, 2014 at 07:37
The coverage at 80 mile beach is normal Telstra. Same as Collins St Melbourne.There is coverage from Karratha all the way to Derby along the coast except a few small black spots.
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FollowupID: 823954

Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 19:20

Saturday, Sep 20, 2014 at 19:20
There's another at Greenvale. There is a sign on the fence outside the caravan park managers residence saying "Stand here to make your phone call." I could not get the BigPond modem to work there though.


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AnswerID: 539316

Reply By: Simon C7 - Sunday, Sep 21, 2014 at 08:33

Sunday, Sep 21, 2014 at 08:33
Stonehenge (west of Longreach) has the same at the pub. You can get Telstra Mobile coverage in the pub, or on the verandah. We had workers out there 3 months ago and they told us they had to go to the pub to get reception. We thought "yer right!!!!".

seems like they may have been telling us the truth.
AnswerID: 539325

Reply By: JR - Sunday, Sep 21, 2014 at 18:38

Sunday, Sep 21, 2014 at 18:38
You can buy a legal booster from telstra which works like indicated but you really should be able to get coverage in a car kit with ext antenna if it is able to
Best it can achieve is boost unreliable signal to full, can boost if it isnt there
AnswerID: 539358

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