Telstra 5G Upgrades in Dalby Spark Safety Concerns Amid Widespread Outage
A mobile service outage caused by 5G upgrade work on a Telstra tower has left many residents in Dalby, a Western Downs town in Queensland, without phone, text, or internet access. Locals have labelled the situation a serious safety risk, as businesses and healthcare providers struggle to operate.
The town, home to over 13,000 people, received a text alert last Wednesday warning of disruptions starting June 16 and potentially lasting up to two weeks.
Craig Tobin, a Dalby resident, called the outage “disgraceful.”
“I had to drive out of town just to get a signal so I could contact my family in Brisbane who hadn’t heard from me for days,” he said.
“I can’t believe people are just accepting having no phones for two weeks — it’s simply unacceptable.”
Telstra’s regional general manager, May Boisen, noted that NBN, satellite internet, landlines, Wi-Fi calling, and services from other providers remain operational. However, for many locals, the impact has been severe.
“I have three Telstra devices, and none of them have any signal,” Mr. Tobin added.
Having only recently moved into his home, Mr. Tobin is still waiting for his NBN service to be connected.
Businesses and Medical Services Disrupted
Dalby Chamber of Commerce representative Anna Story described the outage as a significant safety hazard that is disrupting local businesses.
“EFTPOS systems are down, some ATMs aren’t working — it’s a big problem,” she said.
At BlueCare, an aged care provider, staff have been unable to communicate with clients or access essential client information.
“We can’t check on clients or contact their families to ensure they’re okay,” a spokesperson said.
“Staff are also at risk if they face emergencies and can’t call for help, which adds stress for both staff and clients.”
In response, BlueCare has temporarily switched to an Optus service to maintain some level of communication.
Small Business Owners Voice Frustration
Small business owners are also feeling the strain.
Hairdresser Mel Drier described the situation as “infuriating.”
“It’s caused huge disruptions to my business. I missed a client cancellation because I had no service,” she said.
“I now have to manually take down clients’ names and numbers and wait until I’m home at night to contact them.”
Several businesses, including medical clinics and local taxi companies, have resorted to operating on a cash-only basis during the outage.
Telstra Defends Upgrade as Essential
Telstra says the extensive upgrades are necessary to meet increasing demand, which is growing by 30% each year.
Ms. Boisen explained that the tower is a complex six-sector base station that requires significant work.
“This is why having backup connections like NBN, satellite, or landline is crucial,” she said.
“For example, my husband is diabetic. While we usually rely on mobiles, we maintain a landline for situations exactly like this.”
She emphasized that Telstra understands its customers’ growing reliance on mobile services, which is driving the need for major upgrades in Dalby.
Triple-0 emergency calls from Telstra phones are being redirected through other networks, and Telstra is investigating any failed connections.
The restoration of services is expected to happen progressively, with full coverage anticipated to return by June 30.
