According to the ACA's manager of telecommunications standards, John Vardanega, there are anecdotal reports mobile service coverage has doubled in some areas as usage of mobile boosters has dropped. "Telstra has advised us of customer reports of significant network coverage improvement over the last 12 months," he said.
Mobile phone boosters were banned last year after it was discovered they reduced the network coverage provided by mobile phone towers.
"A tower may have a 40-50 km radius," said Vardanega. "If a booster comes out at 25 km or even two kilometres from the tower the cell reduces to where the booster amplifier is."
This is the only time the ACA has exercised the prohibition power given to it in 1997, according to Vardanega. He said because boosters could block other users - including emergency callers - from accessing services, lives could be threatened.
After obtaining a list of customers from suppliers, the ACA sent registered mail to around 500 individual purchasers responsible for 7-800 individual booster amplifiers, asking them to stop using the devices. "We got a lot of phone traffic from that," said Vardanega. "Originally people came in hot under the collar, but when we explained the decision they were much more accepting."
Vardanega said there was a very small percentage of original purchasers still using boosters. If they had already received a letter, the ACA could prosecute, with perpetrators facing fines of up to AU$220,000.
