Business and residents are being frustrated with more delays to a Telstra tower that was slated to be built in 2025 but Telstra says planning designs have delayed the construction.

Gilgandra mayor Doug Batten says some businesses have to take their computer outside their shop to get connection.

He has contacted Telstra management who have given assurances it will happen in 2026

"It's frustrating for local businesses getting connections but they have told me its going to be next year," Cr Batten said.

"Going onto the footpath to try and get a connection to use eftpos in 2025 is not acceptable, and is bad for our community."

Telstra Regional Manger Michael Marom told the Western Plains App on Friday 6 December that things are happening.

"We’re making progress to deliver better mobile coverage to Gilgandra," he said.

"We’d hoped to have our new site up and running earlier, but building a new mobile base station is complex and getting the design right has taken a little longer than expected due to some unforeseen circumstances.

"We expect to start construction early in the new year."

Mr Marom said he understands the difficulty for local business and community.

‘’We know the community wants better connectivity and we are doing everything we can to deliver it for them ASAP."

The community has waited for a result since Councillors approved the tower build over three months ago.

Gilgandra Mayor Doug Batten

The development applicaiton for the proposed telecommunications tower at 76 Wamboin Street, Gilgandra was approved at Gilgandra Shire Council’s Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday 19 August 2025.

The development is in recognition of the need to improve coverage and capacity of the Telstra network, with recent community representation to both Council and Telstra advocating for this response.

Council acknowledged and considered the concerns raised in the one objection received as part of the Development Application (DA) assessment, with the DA advertised broadly through various channels for anyone wanting to make submission.

General Manager, David Neeves said at the time delivering for community was front of mind for Council.

“Council has balanced the objection with the general community benefit and outcomes anticipated from the proposed development, noting the apparent broader community acceptance and expectation for it to proceed.

"The Telstra mobile coverage in Gilgandra is abysmal and we commend Telstra for taking this positive action to fix the problem.”

Construction will involve the installation of one 45 metre monopole fitted with 9 panel antennas, an upgrade of the existing exchange building and removal of existing small cell infrastructure.

Black Spots in the Western Plains have frustrated many in the community and local politicians have urged the Federal Government to give areas decent mobile reception.

Cobar councillors contacted Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey in 2025 and he has pushing for what he calls ‘’absolutely dangerous planned Telstra outages" in Lightning Ridge, Rowena and Brewarrina.

"These outages go for two to seven days, leaving businesses without the means to carry out transactions, ordering and other processes essential to business, farms without connection to the outside world and people on the Telstra network without access to life-saving emergency services," Mr Chaffey said.

"This is despite an election promise by Labor to provide universal mobile coverage across Australia 'anywhere Australians can see the sky'. 

"Labor’s promise was to expand Triple Zero access for all Australians, expand outdoor voice and SMS coverage into existing mobile black spots, and to improve the availability of mobile signals during disasters and power outages.

"Instead, we are seeing the signal switched off altogether for extended periods.

"This would not happen in the city, and I will be asking questions at the highest level."

Roy Butler state MP for Barwon has also expressed his concern as connectivity in his region, particularly since the 3G network was switched off, has continued to lag behind urban areas.