Australia’s Labor Party has unveiled an ambitious proposal to address long-standing mobile phone black spots across the country, pledging universal outdoor mobile coverage by 2027.
This initiative, if passed, would see a significant expansion of mobile service in rural and remote areas, reaching over five million square kilometres of previously underserved regions, according to SBS.
Under the plan, telecommunications companies will be required to ensure that outdoor mobile phone coverage extends to every corner of Australia. By introducing new legislation later this year, Labor aims to make mobile reception available “almost anywhere where Australians can see the sky,” including vast areas in the outback and along regional roads.
A Historic Leap for Regional Connectivity
The government‘s proposal comes with a clear focus on bridging the digital divide between urban and rural Australia. According to Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, this move will drastically improve public safety and resilience during natural disasters, while also tackling issues related to mobile reception in less accessible regions.
The legislation mandates that all outdoor areas, including 37,000 km of roads in regional Australia, will be covered by mobile networks. This marks a major step forward, as Australia has never before had a universal mobile service obligation, despite long-standing regulations for landline and payphone services.
Rowland described the new coverage requirement as vital for enhancing communications in remote areas and providing a much-needed boost to disaster response efforts.
Labor’s vision extends beyond traditional mobile services. While the initial rollout will focus on providing essential voice and SMS services, there is potential for the coverage to include mobile data as technology progresses.
The government’s plan underscores the importance of reliable communication infrastructure for public safety, particularly in the wake of devastating natural disasters like bushfires and floods.
The Path to National Coverage
The mobile coverage obligation will be phased in over the next few years, with a targeted completion date of 2027. Initially, the focus will be on areas with high population densities and key regional routes.
However, the final goal is for Australia to have complete outdoor mobile phone coverage, ensuring that no one is left without service, regardless of their location.
While the scheme promises to have a far-reaching impact on connectivity, it also brings with it significant challenges, particularly concerning the cost and logistical aspects of extending mobile infrastructure across some of the country’s most remote regions.
Telecommunications companies will need to navigate the difficulties of providing coverage in these areas, where terrain and low population density have historically made service provision financially unfeasible.
