Telstra will be upgrading its mobile base station that services Kaniva to bring new 5G coverage to the area.

Telstra 5G delivers increased capacity, which means more consistent speeds, smoother streaming, and typically faster download times. Delivering 5G to the area will also help boost the area’s existing 4G performance.

Telstra mobile services in the area will be temporarily affected while the upgrade works are underway.

Telstra Regional General Manager for Northern and Western Victoria Steve Tinker said “We know how important mobile connectivity is for Australians, whether you’re in the city or the country.”

“Bringing 5G to the area is a major mobile milestone. It will deliver higher speeds and capacity to the region, meaning faster downloads, smoother streaming, and less congestion.”

“Some disruption is required while the upgrade is underway, but we’ll only be switching off the site when we need to and will have it back online and working better than ever as quickly as possible.”

Temporary disruptions

Telstra mobile customers will receive texts advising of the upcoming work.

Landline services, NBN internet services, and mobile coverage from other providers will not be impacted.

The site will need to be switched off during the following periods:

• Saturday 17 May to Wednesday 21 May. There will be no Telstra mobile coverage from this site. The Telstra mobile network will be restored at the end of the day Wednesday.
• Thursday 22 May. There will be interruptions to the Telstra mobile network from 8:00am to 6:00pm.
• Friday 23 May and Saturday 24 May. There will be interruptions to the mobile network during the day only as we complete the call testing and integration of the mobile network.

Tips for improving connectivity while works are underway.

Telstra customers can continue to make calls and send texts during disruption to mobile services by switching on Wi-Fi Calling. This is a free setting on most popular mobile phones and allows your mobile to make and receive mobile calls while connected to Wi-Fi.

We also encourage business owners talk to their bank about connecting their EFTPOS terminals to their NBN or Wi-Fi connection to prevent delays in processing transactions.

This article appeared in Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 14 May 2025.