Minister for Regional Services and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Bridget McKenzie has welcomed Telstra’s new communications investments, which will make landlines more reliable across regional and rural Australia.
Telstra committed to undertake a dedicated program of work to improve the reliability of regional and remote landlines.
The announcement comes after the release of an independent review of regional telecommunications, which reinforced the importance of fixed line phone services for people living outside the cities.
“Landlines are a lifeline for many regional Australians and repeat faults and long repair timeframes are just not good enough and are significant pain points for those living in regional, rural and remote areas,” Minister McKenzie said.
“For some, a landline service is their only connection to the outside world and can literally mean the difference between life and death. It is essential these services are reliable, and that any issues are fixed quickly.”
Minister McKenzie said she was pleased to see Telstra investing in practical and proactive solutions to an issue that has long been a frustration for many Australians.