WONDERING why your Facebook feed isn't loading or your TikTok page is giving you the spinning wheel that doesn't seem to end?
Don't fret. We know it's not ideal, but here's why it might be happening.
Telstra customers in Newcastle are experiencing a planned mobile network outage from today, affecting 3G, 4G and 5G users as part of planned maintenance.
Customers on 4G are being affected in the vicinity of Newcastle West and The Hill.
For 5G it's a little broader affecting customers from Tighes Hill, Wickham and Carrington to Newcastle West, Cooks Hill and through to Bar Beach.
Over the coming week, Telstra will be replacing roof sheeting next its mobile base station in Steel Street, resulting in a series of temporary outages or reduction in mobile coverage.
As the replacement work needs to be carried out during daylight hours for health and safety reasons, technicians will need to switch off the tower whilst work is taking place.
"Where possible we will just be switching off the parts of the tower we are working on, leaving the rest operational. While coverage and capacity will decline during this time, we want to keep the amount of time the site is off air to an absolute minimum," Telstra Regional general manager, Michael Marom said.
"There's never a good time to undertake this sort of work but once it is completed, it will mean better mobile services for local residents," he said.
These improvements will temporarily impact Telstra mobile coverage at various times from 22 January until January 26.
Disruptions will occur from 7am to 5pm between, with the mobile network being restored at the end of each day. This disruption will impact the Newcastle Market Town shopping centre coverage during this period.
If all goes to plan and weather permitting, residents should notice improvement in Telstra mobile services by Friday, January 26.
Telstra mobile customers will receive text messages advising of the upcoming work.
Landline services, NBN internet services and mobile coverage from other providers will not be impacted. Any calls to Triple Zero from a Telstra mobile when the site is off air will automatically be diverted to any working mobile network for connection to emergency services.
