Mobile phone reception issues are plaguing residents living in the Peppercorn, Olivine and Katalia estates in Donnybrook.
Olivine community group secretary Helen Franks said the issue has been going on for far too long.
“This has been an issue since the estate was opened, that would be seven years,” she said.
“Most people in the estate experience poor or no reception, they have to be in a certain spot in their house or down the street to get reception.
“The internet can be fickle as well, at night when there are a lot of people using it, streaming is affected, even free-to-air TV is affected.”
Ms Franks and the community group have been receiving stories from concerned residents which shows just how large the impact is on the community.
“I called emergency services for an ambulance for a gentleman who had come off his motorbike in Katalia estate. The operator couldn’t hear me and the call continuously dropped out,” one resident said.
“I had my neighbour knock on my door all distressed because her toddler son shut the garage door and it locked and she had her baby inside and could not get phone reception to call her husband and then to call triple-0 for the fire brigade,” another resident said.
Optus, Telstra and Vodafone all said they were planning for new mobile sites in the area to boost reception.
An Optus spokesperson added that the increase in new estates in the area and a surge in population meant the current tower in Kalkallo has reached its capacity.
Max Westwood
