Telstra Reveals Vandalism Caused Cessnock Mobile Outage

A mobile outage affecting parts of Cessnock and surrounding areas has been traced back to vandalism, according to a statement from Telstra. The disruption has left many residents experiencing reduced 4G and 5G mobile coverage, although NBN and Business Fibre services remain unaffected.

The damaged site, located in Pokolbin, is currently being repaired by Telstra technicians, who are working to restore services as soon as possible. Telstra’s Regional General Manager, Michael Marom, confirmed the outage was the result of vandalism, and while other nearby mobile towers are providing some coverage, users are still facing connectivity challenges.

“We have technicians at the site working to get everything back online. There is overlapping coverage from other nearby Telstra sites in the area, but customers may notice a reduction in mobile coverage. Landline, nbn, and other broadband services should not be impacted,” said Mr Marom.

He also urged anyone with information about suspicious activity near the site to contact Crime Stoppers. “Vandalism like this not only inconveniences local residents but also poses a potential safety threat for vulnerable customers or people with a medical condition if they lose connectivity.”

In the meantime, Telstra has advised residents to use Wi-Fi calling, a free feature on most mobile phones, to maintain communication during the outage. Business owners are also being encouraged to ensure their EFTPOS terminals are connected to nbn or Wi-Fi networks to avoid transaction delays.

Telstra has thanked the community for their patience as efforts continue to restore the site to full functionality.

Residents or anyone with information about the vandalism are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.