MAJOR world-first reform to provide basic universal outdoor mobile coverage across Australia has been announced by the Federal Government.
The government has committed to introducing a Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO), and will require mobile carriers to provide access to mobile voice and SMS almost everywhere across Australia.
However, Member for Mallee Anne Webster said the government had failed to detail which areas would miss out, or how much the UOMO would cost.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said UOMO would ensure up to five million square kilometres of new competitive outdoor mobile coverage across Australia, including over 37,000km on regional roads.
The government said the reform was possible due to the “transformative” global innovations in Low Earth Orbit Satellites (LEOSats), and the arrival of Direct to Device (D2D) technology, which enables signals from space direct to mobile devices.
The government would consult and introduce legislation in 2025 to expand the universal service framework to incorporate mobile coverage for the first time.
Implementation of outdoor SMS and voice would be expected by late 2027, with many Australians likely to obtain access before then.
Basic mobile data will be considered in the future as technology road maps and capacity considerations develop.
Dr Webster said the “government have sought to distract Mallee community members reeling from a botched 3G shutdown that created more mobile black spots” by launching their UOMO into the “political sky”.
“The Albanese Government has attempted to grab a desperate headline,” she said.
“Low Earth Orbit Satellites and Direct to Device offers exciting new technology but they are not yet fully tested, trialled or readily available in Australia.
“This announcement seems rushed and has been pushed out … and just weeks before Australians go to the polls.
“Labor’s new UOMO offers empty promises for customers in regional and remote areas who are desperate for better telecommunications connectivity, particularly after the shambolic mess from the closure of the 3G network.
“Mallee residents already have UOMO – the Unavoidability Of Missing Out – after three wasted years under Labor.”
Ms Rowland said Labor governments had a proven record of expanding universal access to essential services.
“The Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation will improve public safety, increase resilience during natural disasters, and provide an extra layer of coverage in areas previously thought too difficult or costly to reach,” she said.
“The experience will be different to land mobile networks, but the benefits transformative, particularly for a large continent such as ours.”
The National Farmers’ Federation welcomed the announcement.
President David Jochinke said the obligation would both create and safeguard a right for every Australian to access basic calls and text services from any location.
“Mobile black spots are a huge source of frustration for people in the bush,” he said.
“Coverage gaps can compromise safety and make it harder to run a business.”
The NFF said it had advocated for reliable and affordable mobile connectivity in the bush for decades, including as a founding member of the Rural, Regional and Remote Communications Coalition.
“Mobile has long been the next frontier in universal protections for telecommunications users, and we’re thrilled to see it becoming a reality,” Mr Jochinke said.
“By locking in this satellite coverage, it becomes something people in the regions can rely upon – rather than a fortuitous benefit that may come and go in the future.”
