By Ethan Benedicto
The future of growing suburbs and their connectivity in the City of Casey is taking another step forward, following the most recent council meeting and a Federal Government plan on universal outdoor mobile coverage.
The Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) came just a week after the City of Casey’s councillors motioned a submission for mobile connection to be an essential service.
On Tuesday, 25 February, UOMO was announced as a mandate that will require mobile carriers to provide access to mobile voice and SMS around the country.
Dillwynia Ward councillor Anthony Walter said that he welcomes “any investment that will improve telecommunications in Casey”.
“Particularly in Clyde and Clyde North, and I look forward to hearing more through the consultation process,” he said.
Likewise, at Casey’s first council meeting on Tuesday, 18 February, the first and only motion passed was a Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) State Council submission that would consider cellular telecom networks as an ‘essential service’.
This was moved by Akoonah Ward councillor Scott Dowling and seconded by Tooradin Ward councillor Jennifer Dizon.
Clyde and Clyde North, in the eastern fringes of the city, have carried the weight of a swiftly growing population with lagging infrastructure.
The most prevalent, second only to roads, was mobile connectivity, an issue that was widely addressed in 2024 after the installation of two mobile towers, one in each respective suburb.
The chair of the 2024 Regional Telecommunications Review, Hon Alannah MacTiernan, also welcomed the development and said that this was “fantastic news for regional Australians”.
“The UOMO will guarantee voice and message services across this vast continent.
“This reform will leverage the rapidly emerging direct-to-handset technology to make sure that we can maximise the opportunity for Australians, wherever they are, to stay connected,” she said.
To be precise, it was said to ensure up to 5 million square kilometres of coverage across the country, including 37,000 kilometres on regional roads.
Looking more locally, the Peri Urban Mobile Program (PUMP) was announced in October last year, where both Holt MP Cassandra Fernando and the Federal Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland attended the new site for a mobile tower in Clyde.
While the UOMO has a strong focus on regional connectivity, it plays a strong hand in making mobile connection as a whole an integral part of everyday living, aligning with the motion that Casey passed.
Especially considering the struggles that local residents have faced in Casey, especially in Clyde and Clyde North, when it comes to being connected.
This story is developing, and more will come once information is available.
