Mrs Hull said farmers and natural systems managers have raised concerns about making the switch from CDMA to NextG when it comes to using CDMA-based remote management and monitoring systems for purposes including activating irrigation pumps.

“With Telstra announcing that 57 specially trained advocates will be calling customers and arranging home visits, I would urge them to contact people in the Riverina to ensure they have the correct technology and speak to them about continued concerns they have regarding what they need to do to get the best out of the new NextG network,” Mrs Hull said.

“Telstra have also set up a new hotline number to assist customers specifically with their switch to NextG and I urge Riverina constituents to use their number if they are having problems and to also contact my office so I can continue to raise these concerns with the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, before the planned changeover, now on April 28.”

Mrs Hull said in order to make systems compatible with NextG phones, “I believe farmers and irrigators must replace data control units at the pump at a cost of $1250.”

Telstra offers a NextG migration rebate of just $100 which ends on January 28.

Mrs Hull said irrigators have also advised that NextG control units are also difficult to obtain at a time that is during the peak of the irrigation system.