ACCAN recently submitted to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sports and the Arts’ (the Department) consultation on the design features of the National Regional Roads Australia Mobile Program (National RRAMP).
This submission recommends the Department:
- Ensure proposals prioritising active sharing across all three national Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) receive higher funding allocations and merit-based assessment weighting, reinforced by enforceable service delivery commitments.
- Introduce funding specifically for free, public Wi-Fi hotspots strategically located to enhance connectivity where mobile coverage is limited or affordability is a barrier.
- Establish a Project Noticeboard enabling communities, local governments, and First Nations communities to nominate priority major roads and highways for coverage improvements.
- Allow applicants to propose roads and highways not officially listed as eligible, provided proposals are supported by robust data or compelling community evidence, such as findings from the National Mobile Coverage Audit.
- Consider actively supporting domestic mobile roaming arrangements to improve utilisation of existing infrastructure, especially in areas unlikely to attract competitive investment.
- Mandate a minimum of 12 hours backup power at all funded sites, encourage the deployment of Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS) for continuity during emergencies, and provide incentives for extending backup power to 24 hours.
- Provide dedicated funding for essential ongoing operational costs such as infrastructure maintenance, community consultation, monitoring, and evaluation to sustain long-term consumer benefits.
- Offer support for 50% of operational costs over five years for shared infrastructure, contingent upon transparent service-level agreements and regular public reporting on outcomes.
- Introduce a public register listing all funded sites, clearly indicating the MNOs providing service, and embed enforceable performance milestones and penalties within grant agreements.
- Include proposals leveraging the existing Optus-TPG MOCN arrangement, provided they clearly enhance service availability and consumer outcomes.
- Implement ongoing monitoring of internet and mobile service affordability to assure that RRR consumers genuinely benefit from the National RRAMP initiative.
