By Oscar Parry
Macedon Ranges residents could see an end to mobile black spots following a federal government plan to greatly increase mobile phone coverage in rural and remote Australia.
Announced by the government on Tuesday, February 25, the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation would create up to five million square kilometres of new outdoor mobile coverage – including over 37,000 kilometres on regional roads.
According to the government, the obligation will require mobile carriers to provide access to mobile voice and SMS “almost everywhere across Australia” and will use low Earth orbit satellites and direct to device technology.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said this would provide outdoor voice and SMS in existing mobile black spots and improve “the availability of mobile signals during disasters and power outages”.
Kyneton Bushland Resort assistant manager and deputy fire warden Sharryn Smith said her organisation is one of those affected by the threat of unreliable mobile phone coverage during disasters and outages.
She said poor and unreliable mobile coverage in the resort could pose a risk during severe winds or bushfires if it was to lose internet access.
“If the internet goes out, we don’t have a phone system … if we have to revert to our mobiles, we’re pretty much stuck,” Ms Smith said.
“Being Macedon Ranges’ largest accommodation provider, in high peak we’d have about 300people here … as well as residents that live out on the property as well,” she said.
The resort has a walkie talkie system to revert to in emergency situations, but Ms Smith said these are often used by staff in day-to-day activities due to coverage black spots on the property.
Due to a black spot where the office is located, she said staff and guests also often need to walk outside to make mobile phone calls.
Regional telecommunications independent review committee chair Alannah MacTiernan said the obligation would address “endemic coverage limitations which see many Australians feeling frustrated and vulnerable by being outside current reliable mobile coverage”.
“This guarantee of service will be a gamechanger in emergency and natural disaster solutions for Australians living in rural and remote areas,” Ms MacTiernan said.
According to the government, implementation of the increased outdoor SMS and voice call access is expected by late 2027, with many Australians likely to obtain access before then, and increased basic mobile data access will be considered in the future.
