The federal government has announced funding to improve mobile phone coverage in Paterson and Vacy.
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The project is part of plans to remove 28 of the 99 frustrating mobile black spots across the Hunter in the first round of its Mobile Black Spot Program.
While no specific dates were announced for the area, the complete rollout of 499 new base stations will begin later this year and will take three years to complete.
The three stations announced for the Hunter will be at Jerrys Plains, Laguna and Stanhope.
The stations will provide improved coverage across the Hunter, including the notoriously under-serviced Paterson electorate.
Paterson MP Bob Baldwin said $608,000 would be spent improving the coverage in his area.
“I was acutely aware that there were significant deficiencies in mobile phone coverage in Paterson [and] Vacy and there were areas that experience seasonal congestion,” Mr Baldwin said.
“Today will see 19 of those black spots receive coverage.”
A further $60 million of Commonwealth funding was announced for the second round of the program, which will see Telstra construct 200 smaller 4G bases across regional Australia.
Mr Baldwin urged residents to nominate remaining black spots for the second round of the rollout.
Nominations can be emailed to mobilecoverage@communications.gov.au.
Areas to receive improved coverage under the first round of the Mobile Black Spot Program include Bishops Bridge, Bridgeman, Bucketty, Bulga, Cliftleigh, Clydesdale, Cooinda, Glendon Brook, Heddon Greta, Kandos, Laguna, Lochinvar, Maitland, Mirannie, Mount Tangory, Neath, Olinda, Rylstone, Tangory Mountain, Westbrook, Windella and Wollombi.
