Reliable mobile phone and internet coverage is not expected to resume for Telstra customers in Millicent for several days.
The network has been temporarily switched off at times since Thursday morning to allow for maintenance contractors to work on their concrete SA Water tower which houses the Telstra apparatus.
Mobile cranes had arrived at the site earlier in the day with the Telstra apparatus temporarily switched off to ensure the safety of the SA Water contractors.
On other occasions in previous years, Telstra customers in Millicent have been advised of an interruption for planned Telstra maintenance via text message to their mobile phones.
An SA Water spokesman said in a statement that minor works on the 28-metre-high water storage tank in Millicent were expected to be complete by late April.
“The bulk of work for this upgrade was undertaken last year, and our crews are now applying a protective paint coating as the final component of the project, which was delayed due to weather constraints, including sustained rainfall at the time,” the spokesman said.
“There will be no interruption to our customers’ water supply during our works.
“Given the light footprint of their antenna equipment, we have often allowed telecommunications providers to affix their equipment to our tall water storage tanks, to support telecommunications network coverage.
“For the safety of our crews undertaking work on Millicent’s water storage tank, we have worked closely with Telstra to isolate their equipment housed on the tank, with the provider putting temporary measures in place to ensure continued services for their customers.”
Telstra regional general manager for SA Michael Patterson said in a statement the equipment on the SA Water tower helps provide 3G, 4G and 5G coverage to the local area.
“With SA Water having maintenance crews working at this site over the next week, we will need to turn off some of our antennas on the site for three hours each day to enable them to access the area safely,” Mr Patterson said.
“This unfortunately will impact mobile coverage to the local area during this time.
“However, landline services and nbn services will not be impacted.
“If residents have no or poor mobile coverage but do have access to a wi-fi signal, in the interim Telstra encourages local residents to activate wi-fi calling.
“This is a free setting on most popular mobile phones and allows your mobile to use a Wi-Fi network to make and receive mobile calls when in range of the modem.”
As with numerous other equipment failures and apparatus upgrades at Millicent in recent years, the loss of the mobile phone signal has disrupted some Millicent businesses who have a set link to EFTPOS machines.
One aired her frustrations on her social media account.
“I am unsure when this will finally post to social media,” the business owner wrote.
“I currently have no internet/service so I am unable to process EFTPOS payments or reply to messages.
“Please bring cash to your appointments.
“Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.”
The Amcal George Street Pharmacy in Millicent is just one of the many businesses impacted.
Pharmacist Gillian Buckley estimated only half of the doctors’ prescription scripts nowadays were in the traditional paper format with the other half sent by digital means.
As a result, Ms Buckley said these patients have to rely on getting an internet signal in order to have their doctors’ instructions regarding their medications communicated to her pharmacy.
The SA Water concrete tower first hosted mobile phone equipment in 1995.
