Starlink one of three recommendations to fix 3G shutdown

A government committee has tabled several recommendations to help farmers and other regional Australians affected by the 3G network shutdown.

Using the Starlink satellite system for mobile phone services has been identified as one way to overcome poor coverage issues still being experienced across rural Australia since the 3G network shutdown last year.

The Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee this week handed down three recommendations to rectify ongoing issues with the 3G mobile networks being shut down by Telstra and Optus last October.

They included the federal government and the telecommunications industry “doing all they can” to speed up mobile services being introduced to the Elon Musk-owned Starlink, which already has around 200,000 connections in Australia.

The committee, chaired by Senator Matthew Canavan, also recommended that a program co-funded by the federal government and telcos be established to allow customers who have lost 3G coverage to buy boosters for homes and vehicles.

Senator Matthew Canavan chaired the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee that looked into issues with the 3G mobile network shutdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The committee also recommended the federal government increase the scope of the national audit of mobile coverage to include off-road areas, including farms.

Farmers were among those hardest hit by the 3G shutdown. They were forced to buy expensive boosters and antennas, with GrainGrowers claiming it had led to the city versus country divide getting bigger.

One livestock and cropping farmer located in a guaranteed coverage area still had to outlay between $10,000 and $20,000 to upgrade equipment following the shutdown.

The shutdown happening occurred on the eve of harvest and the bushfire season, which meant it was also a productivity and safety issue, according to the National Farmers’ Federation.

The 3G mobile network was shutdown last October, leaving many rural and regional areas without service. Picture: Damian Shaw

In the lead-up to the committee recommendations being handed down, the federal government committed to introducing a Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation, which, once enshrined by legislation, would mean telecos would be legally bound to guarantee basic outdoor voice and text mobile coverage everywhere in Australia.

“Mobile black spots are a huge source of frustration for people in the bush,” NFF president David Jochinke said.

“Coverage gaps can compromise safety and make it harder to run a business.

“This new obligation will ensure that the safety of rural Australians, and their access to basic mobile services, cannot be put in the too-hard basket.”