Government launches second round of mobile blackspot program

First base stations funded as part of first round to go live before the end of the year

The government has called for nominations for a second round of the mobile blackspot program.

"The Commonwealth government has committed $60 million to provide new or upgraded mobile coverage to blackspots in regional and remote Australia under Round 2 of the mobile blackspot program, and we're calling on members of the public to nominate black spots in their local area by 31 December," communications minister Mitch Fifield said in a statement.

Earlier this year the government revealed details of new base stations that will be built as part of the program’s first round.

Telstra was the big winner from the $100 million round.

The first round funding from telcos, state and local governments and other organisations totaled $385 million.

The first round of the blackspot program will help fund 429 Telstra base stations and 70 Vodafone base stations, covering 68,600 square kilometres of Australia (150,000 square kilometres with external antennas).

In addition to the new towers Telstra plans to build, the telco plans to deploy 250 4G small cells with a 200-300 metre range.

The first of the new base stations will go live before the end of the year, with all the round one rollout to be completed within three years.

Round two nominations can be submitted online until 31 December.

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