CDMA CLOSURE POSTPONED

The decision by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy to exercise his ministerial power to postpone Telstra’s scheduled 28 January CDMA network closure is a victory for commonsense and will be well received by many of the seven million Australians who live outside of the metropolitan cities, Nationals Senator Fiona Nash said. “The Nationals have campaigned long and hard against the forced CDMA network closure, and today’s decision is a clear demonstration the mobile phone concerns of rural and regional Australia are being heard in Canberra,” Senator Nash said. “The Nationals had long been telling the former minister, Senator Coonan, and more recently the newly appointed Minister Conroy, Next G is not up to scratch. Today’s announcement supports the Nationals Next G claims. “Whilst the ACMA report found the Next G footprint may be equivalent to CDMA coverage when using an external aerial, the same cannot be said for network coverage when simply using the current range of handsets available to Next G consumers. “I recognise the day will come when CDMA will be turned off, however it is now clear the network will not be shutdown until Telstra delivers equivalence not just in network coverage but also in the ability of consumer handsets to receive and transmit Next G without the aid of an external aerial. How long that will take is yet to be determined. “I applaud Minister Conroy’s decision to also make public the CDMA Next G audit reports from both ACMA and his department. “I trust he will continue with such transparency and make public Telstra’s response addressing the shortfalls of Next G that have postponed the CDMA network closure. “Adequate mobile phone coverage is vital to rural and regional Australians – from the farmer in the paddock, to the local small business operator to families living miles out of town – and Minister Conroy must ensure those with CDMA mobile coverage are not left stranded without service after the switch off. When ever that may be,” Senator Nash said. Media contact: Julie Siegert 0429 818 600

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