Urandangi still without mobile coverage six months...

A remote outback town on the Queensland-Northern Territory border is still without mobile coverage, six months after a tower was built. 

Urandangi has been waiting for service for almost seven years after the federal government announced a tower will be built as part of its Mobile Black Spot Program in 2015.

Publican Pam Forster said when the mobile phone tower was built in December last year she expected to have coverage a month later after several conversations with Telstra.

"They said they would be back early January to finish it, but here we are and it's nearly June," Ms Forster said.

"Everybody says 'it will get done, we're starting next month' but next month never comes." A mobile phone tower was built in Urandangi in December but six months later the town still has no coverage.(ABC North West Queensdland: Eric Barker) Isolated during the wet season

Urandangi has a population of mostly Indigenous people that can fluctuate between 20 and 200 and the local pub, which also acts as a service station, is the only watering hole for 600 kilometres.

The town is surrounded by dirt roads and the local Georgina River can isolate residents for weeks at a time when it floods.

Ms Forster said the wet season could also cut off satellite internet and landline phones — both important lines of communication.   "The wi-fi and the internet depend on the weather and we can lose all communications there," she said.

"The (landline) phones can go in and out and I think everyone has trouble with them around the area."

Landline phones and satellite internet phones are still the only forms of communication in Urandangi, six months after a mobile phone tower was built.(ABC North West Queensland: Eric Barker)

Ms Forster said when landline and internet services cut out, people passing through the town lost the ability to pay for essential supplies like fuel and food.

"You don't realise how reliant on the phones we are because the EFTPOS works off the phone line," she said,

"With no phones and no internet, everybody has cards and that's where it gets very difficult."

Known as the Dangi Bush Resort, the Urandangi pub also acts a service station with fuel and food.(ABC North West Queensland: Eric Barker) Mobiles essential for development

Urandiangi is surrounded by some of Australia's largest cattle stations and the Georgina River is a popular spot for anglers looking to catch the famous yellowbelly.

Boulia Shire mayor Rick Britton said with thousands of tourists passing through outback Queensland each year, more of them would turn into Urandangi if it had mobile coverage.

"People feel a lot safer if they've got mobile coverage," Cr Britton said.

"There are some beautiful views up there and if you can photograph and send it to all your friends, that encourages more people and grows the industry."

Urandangi is surrounded by dirt roads, which can be cut off for weeks at a time.(ABC North West Queensland: Eric Barker)

Cr Britton said the cattle stations stood to benefit from mobile coverage, with a large portion of staff coming from outside the area to experience the industry.

"It's your (health and safety) with your workers, they all have the mobile phones and they can talk to their families," he said.

Coverage promised this year

A Telstra spokeswoman said the isolated location has made it hard for the company to deliver coverage and it expected to connect the area in June.

"We received approval to proceed with planning and construction of Urandangi in August last year, and can understand local anticipation to have the project completed as quickly-as-possible," the spokeswoman said.

"The area is isolated with rugged terrain, and has added significant complexity to the overall project.

"To deliver coverage to the area we also have to first construct five radio links to connect to our core network at Camooweal.

"This project has also involved upgrades to two separate mobile base stations and solar upgrades to three other locations."