Radio, TV and press mentions of mobile phones and APUMP

  1. March, 30 1998. PERTH 6WF. Male talkback caller regarding mobile phones "I go through a lot of country towns and it's inconvenient when the mobile reception drops out. Some town have no reception others need to have a stronger signals too.
  2. March, 30 1998. MELBOURNE ATV10 State Television News. Telstra and competitors face fines for bad service as the Federal Government seeks public support for the full sale of Telstra. Federal Communications Minister Richard Alston says Telstra, Optus and Vodafone (not Vodaphone) are shirking service responsibilities.
  3. March, 26 1998. GERALDTON 6GN. Telstra are doing work on extending the range for mobile phones ... in ideal situations the range is 35 kms and they want to double that.
  4. March, 25 1998. ADELAIDE 5DN. .....last week, I was on board a boat in Spencer Gulf when a medical emergency happened ... all the sophisticated digital (phone) equipment on his ship failed, while is trusty old analogue could get through to Port Lincoln Hospital.
  5. March, 24 1998. LISMORE 2LM Radio News. Independent MP Peter Andren is taking action in Federal Parliament this week to save the analogue phone network. He wants to stop the Federal Government letting Vodafone (not Vodaphone) out of a deal. Peter Andren: ... here we've got a perfectly good system ... analogue suits Australia.
  6. March, 24 1998. ORANGE WIN State Television News. Calls have been made for the indefinite retention of the analogue mobile phone network.
  7. March, 24 1998. CAIRNS 4QY Radio Far North. Bruce Scott, Federal Member for Marinowa, : ... we've got to lock into legislation ... ensure rural Australia is able to access ISD, Mobile technology and digital technology; Shadow Minister for Communications, Senator Chris Schacht: ... my basic fear is ... that the people in rural Australia will not end up with the same level of service ... the government can make some nice words ... they're not in the legislation as part of a community service obligation.
  8. March, 24 1998. LISMORE 2LM Radio News. Independent MP Peter Andren is taking action in Parliament this week to save the analogue phone network. He wants to stop the Federal Government letting Vodafone (not Vodaphone) out of a deal. Peter Andren: ... here we've got a perfectly good system ... analogue suits Australia.
  9. March, 24 1998. BENDIGO 3BO Radio News. Regional and rural MPs are being challenged to vote to keep Australia's analogue phone system. Peter Andren, NSW Federal Independent Member: ... here's an opportunity for them to stand up in support of analogue which, by any judgement, is the only system that works in regional Australia.
  10. March, 23 1998. LITHGOW 2LT Radio News. Federal Member for Calare Peter Andren will try to save the analogue mobile phone system from being shut down.
  11. March, 20 1998. SYDNEY 2GB. Talkback caller complains regarding patches around Sydney where his digital phone drops out
  12. March, 20 1998. GERALDTON 6GN Radio News . An Independent parliamentarian says he will take action in Federal Parliament next week to stop the Federal Government from giving Vodaphone valuable ownership concessions. Peter Andreen, Independent MP: ... they're doing deals for them on the one hand that benefit them and they're not prepared to trade that off against the retention of analogue.
  13. March, 20 1998. ALBANY 6AL Radio News. Independent MP Peter Andren says he'll take action in Federal Parliament next week to try and stop the government giving valuable ownership concessions to the Vodafone (not Vodaphone) company. Peter Andren, Calare MHR: ... they're not prepared to trade that off against the retention of analogue which is by far the superior delivery service.
  14. March, 20 1998. ALBANY 6AL Radio News. Independent MP Peter Andren says he hopes regional MPs will support a motion about the Vodafone (not Vodaphone) company which he will put to Federal Parliament next week. Peter Andren, Calare MHR: ... I hope I will be able to force a vote on it.
  15. March, 20 1998. BUNBURY 6BS Radio News. Independent MP Peter Andren says he will take action in Federal Parliament next week to try and stop the Government giving valuable ownership concessions to the Vodafone (not Vodaphone) company.
  16. March, 19 1998. WARRNAMBOOL 3YB Radio News. Independent MP Peter Andren will take action in Federal Court next week in an attempt to save the shut down of Australia's analogue mobile phone system next year. He says analogue phones are vital business tools for farmers.
  17. March, 19 1998. MELBOURNE GOLD 104 Radio News. Independent MP, Peter Andren is planning action in Federal parliament to save the analogue mobile phone system. Peter Andren, Independent MP: ... it's a matter of trying to force all of those regional members ... to stand up.
  18. March, 19 1998. MOUNT GAMBIER 5SE Radio News. Independent federal Member of Parliament Peter Andren says the analogue network is a vital tool for farmers and business people and getting greater coverage area.
  19. March, 19 1998. SYDNEY 2WS-FM Radio News. Independent MP Peter Andren is planning action in the Federal Parliament to save the analogue mobile phone network ... he is hoping to stop the Government's ownership concessions for the Vodaphone company.
  20. March, 18 1998. ABC NSW REGIONAL RADIO. NSW Independent Federal MP, Peter Andren will take action next week in an attempt to save the analogue mobile phone system. Peter Andren says that it's crazy to throw away this analogue infrastructure in the bush because it quite obviously is the best technology we have to cover the unique outback areas we have.
  21. March, 18 1998. SYDNEY 2BL Radio News. Some of Australia's biggest telecommunications companies, Telstra ... Optus ... Vodafone (not Vodaphone) ... Hutchinson ... Ausphone ... AAPT... Ozemail ... Catapult and Global Mobility Networks, are preparing to bid hundreds of millions of dollars for the rights to the latest band widths to become available.
  22. March, 16 1998. MILDURA 3MA Radio News.The Association for the Protection of Users of Mobile Phones is criticising the Federal Government for moves to sell the remaining two-thirds of Telstra if they are re-elected.
  23. March, 13 1998. BUNBURY 6BS Radio News. The Federal Government has been accused of deceiving regional and rural councils over the future of the analogue network.
  24. March, 13 1998 SYDNEY 2RN Radio News Nine bidders have applied to take part in the upcoming auction for spectrum licences which can be used for mobile phone services
  25. March, 12 1998. ADELAIDE 5AA. Talkback was disgusted that the analogue phone system is being phased out, particularly given the possibility there are health problems associated with the digital phone system. The announcer then made comments regarding digital mobile phones causeing the main line phone or the computer in homes to make buzzing noises.
  26. March, 12 1998. ADELAIDE 5AA. Talkback caller complains that he had no problems at all with mobile phones until he switched from the analogue to the digital networks
  27. March, 10 1998. MELBOURNE 3AW Talkback caller " I have an analogue phone ... when someone stands next to me with a digital phone .. there is a lot of interference. "
  28. March, 10 1998. LISMORE 2NR Radio News. The Association for the Protection of Mobile Phones has attacked comments by Communications Minister Richard Alston over the analogue network. He has blamed the previous Labor Government.
  29. March, 6 1998. GERALDTON 6GN Rural Report. Boyd Munro, chairman, Association for the Protection of Users of Mobile Phones says that he was personally outraged about the decision to close the analogue network. "We Australians have paid ...  (the analogue network) is doing a wonderful job for us and for which there is no substitute in sight ... analogue is superior for my purposes ... it's a sweetheart deal for Vodaphone and Optus ... designed to direct business their way away from Telstra"
  30. March, 6 1998. KARRATHA 6KP Radio News. A mobile phone users group claims the Federal Government is destined for political embarrassment if it continues to push for the shut down of the analogue phone network.
  31. March, 5 1998. GERALDTON 6GN Radio News. The Australian Communications Authority says the interests of mobile phone users in regional, rural and remote areas will be protected with a review of services in these areas to be undertaken. March, 5 1998. ALBANY 6AL Radio News. Warren Duncan, Australian Communications Authority spokesman:" ... if analogue reaches out there and the service is being used, that is potentially an area for retention of analogue."
  32. March, 5 1998. ALBANY 6AL Radio News. The Australian Communications Authority says the interests of mobile phone users in regional and remote areas will be protected.
  33. 16th February 1998. 2CH Radio News. Warning of damage claims by Vodafone (not Vodaphone) and Optus if they are forced to extend the digital mobile network.

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