Regional, rural and remote Australians continue to face unreliable mobile coverage and limited connectivity options, with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) calling for a major overhaul of Australia’s telecommunications regulatory framework.
The TIO’s latest report, Left behind: Experiences of telco consumers living in regional, rural and remote Australia, analysed 27,882 complaints received from these areas over the past two financial years, alongside a detailed review of more than 2,000 complaints.
More than 2,300 consumers reported unreliable mobile coverage, unavailable coverage or services becoming less usable as networks and equipment changed. Poor mobile coverage was consistently among the top 10 complaint issues, accounting for 8.46% of complaints from regional, rural and remote areas, compared with 4.63% in major cities.
The TIO found these problems persisted both in recognised mobile black spots and in areas where consumers said telco coverage maps indicated adequate service.
The transition away from older telecommunications infrastructure is also creating new challenges. Following the shutdown of Australia’s 3G networks, some consumers who previously lived on the edge of 3G coverage reported losing reliable mobile connectivity, while others found equipment such as signal boosters had become obsolete because it was incompatible with 4G or 5G networks.
In some cases, consumers have resorted to older technologies such as UHF radio to maintain communications.
Satellite is increasingly filling connectivity gaps, but the TIO warned it is not a universal solution. More than 2,000 complaints over the past two financial years referred to satellite services or providers, with around 70% coming from regional, rural and remote consumers.
Technical faults accounted for the majority of these complaints, while consumers also raised concerns about equipment and service costs, difficulties contacting providers and being charged when services were not operational.
Satellite connectivity can also be affected by weather and topography, while access to reliable electricity presents an additional challenge as telecommunications services become increasingly dependent on external power supplies.
The findings come as Australia’s regional telecommunications landscape undergoes further change. The proposed Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) is intended to establish a baseline level of outdoor mobile coverage across Australia, but the TIO said it should be supported by mandatory service and quality standards.
The Ombudsman has also recommended better access to technicians, compensation for unreasonable delays in connecting or restoring services, measures to improve affordability and an independent database allowing consumers to check which telecommunications services are available at their location.
More broadly, the TIO wants the Australian Government to undertake a comprehensive review of the telecommunications regulatory framework to ensure it remains fit for purpose as Australia moves towards an increasingly digital and mobile-first communications environment.
The proposed review would consider mobile service reliability, access to and ownership of network infrastructure and investment needed to support emerging technologies, with a focus on ensuring regional, rural and remote Australians are not left behind.
