Grants program aims to boost mobile coverage at Esperance beaches

Mobile coverage at Esperance beaches could be improved through a $2 million grant program. The State Government has opened round two of its WA Surf Beaches Mobile Coverage Grant Program, which targets 35 beaches from the Kimberley to Esperance. The grants are intended to help boost mobile coverage at popular remote surf beaches to improve the safety of beach users and better support regional communities, visitors and emergency responders. Service providers are invited to develop proposals to deliver fit-for-purpose and innovative digital solutions at each of the priority sites. Regional Development Minister Don Punch said the grants program was important to support the delivery of telecommunications infrastructure to areas with no or poor mobile coverage. “These beaches are heavily frequented by the local community and visitors for swimming, surfing, camping, fishing, picnics, snorkelling and other recreational activities,” he said. “The plan to provide coverage across 35 identified beaches under this new funding round, in addition to 20 from the first round, will vastly improve the ability to communicate in the case of an emergency and will enable more people to enjoy the beach and ocean with confidence. “Many of the selected locations are already equipped with Beach Emergency Number signs which, combined with improved mobile coverage, will allow for faster and more effective communication during an incident.”