Labor will incentivise major telecoms providers and satellite operators like Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide better mobile phone services around the country by using largely untested technology within two years.

The Albanese government wants to introduce new laws to create a so-called universal outdoor mobile obligation that would provide the incentive, but also require Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom to ensure that there were voice and text messaging services even in places far from phone towers.