Tradies working in Clyde and Clyde North worry the lack of reception could pose a safety threat.
Dub Render owner Sean Flynn said he is constantly concerned about getting hurt and not being able to call for help, especially in new housing estates where there aren’t many people around.
“I’m often on a job site on my own,” he said.
“I work on ladders and use heavy equipment.
“If I fell, or hurt myself, no one would know because I never have any reception out there.”
Local glazier Scott Terry shares the same safety anxieties.
“It makes it extremely difficult to organise jobs from Clyde North,” he said.
“We can’t get in contact with clients and worry if we get injured we can’t contact emergency services.”
The Andrews Government is in the process of building new network towers in Clyde North as part of the $550 million Connecting Victoria program.
But for locals working in the area, the new towers can’t come fast enough.
“It’s terrible for real estate work,” Elaine Beecroft said.
“Very difficult to work on our phones and iPads.”
Likewise, Keith Titch Ferguson, a resident of Arbourlea, said calls dropping in and out creates challenges in communicating with his clients.
“All the providers say they are improving reception but it’s never happened,” he said.
Workers who rely on GPS and mapping apps to find clients are left in the lurch.
I used to deliver Uber Eats to that area and I used to lose data on my phone all the time,” Gina Ramsay said.
“It’s very hard to navigate via Google maps or other maps.”
Other estates in the Casey area are experiencing similar problems.
Lyndhurst shop owner Peta Turner said she wishes the government would “get the infrastructure right before they build estates and not after”.
“The thing is it’s not just out there,” she said.
“I’ve got a shop in Lyndhurst and barely get 1-2 bars of reception, making processing eftpos transactions and using my iPad for my POS and website painfully slow and it’s constantly dropping out.
“Lots of the City of Casey areas are like this.”
Holt MP Cassandra Fernando said the Australian Government is committed to “increasing connectivity, bridging the digital divide, improving mobile coverage and protecting communities”.
“The Government’s Peri-Urban Mobile Program (PUMP) was established to target long-standing mobile coverage and reception issues on the peri-urban fringe, in areas like Clyde,” Ms Fernando said.
“Round 1 of the PUMP is funding a new Vodafone base station at Clyde South that will provide improved coverage to the area.
“As part of the October 2022–23 Budget, the Government has committed funding for two new rounds of the PUMP and I am determined to ensure this new funding will deliver better communication infrastructure for our community.”
