The Victorian Government is fast-tracking the delivery of improved mobile services for regional Victoria. At the same time, the Federal Government has announced an inquiry into mobile infrastructure services across regional Australia.
Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas has announced that the Victorian Government has partnered with three telecommunications providers to deliver 30 mobile infrastructure projects in the Hepburn and Macedon Ranges Shires.
Together with telecommunications partners Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom, the Victorian Government will build 6 new mobile towers and upgrade 24 towers to 5G, all by 2026.
Mobile connectivity plays a critical role in the lives of Victorians, providing access to healthcare, education, flexible working and emergency information and services. This $300 million mobile investment is part of the $550 million Connecting Victoria program to fast- track better mobile and broadband in as many places as possible. To find out more, visit vic.gov.au/connectingvictoria.
The news comes at the same time as the Federal Government has announced a new parliamentary inquiry into mobile infrastructure services across regional Australia. The House Communications and the Arts Committee will hear evidence on co‑investment in regional mobile carrier infrastructure. Co-investment is a tool which would allow multiple telecommunications providers in regional areas to invest in and share ‘multi-carrier’ mobile towers and related infrastructure, to improve services.
The majority of mobile infrastructure is not co-located, especially in regional areas. The rates of co-location for Australia’s major mobile providers dramatically decline as you move from urban to regional and remote areas, to as low as 4.8 per cent in very remote areas.
Committee Chair, Mr Brian Mitchell MP, said “connectivity and infrastructure are critical drivers of regional development. It is particularly important that we hear directly from our rural, regional and remote communities to hear their views on connecting and staying connected to telecommunications infrastructure.’
The terms of reference are available from the inquiry webpage. Submissions can also be made through the webpage, or by email to communications.reps@aph.gov.au until 10 November 2022.
