Rural Aussies say the 3G shutdown has left them with blackouts and poor service, raising safety concerns for farms and bushfire zones. But telcos insist coverage has improved amid Government enquiries. This video includes ACM-produced voiceover powered by AI.
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00:00Some people are worse off after the 3G shutdown and what will the government do to fix it?
00:06The 3G shutdown was meant to improve mobile service but regional Aussies say it has left
00:10them with blackouts and weaker reception, a major risk during harvest and bushfire season.
00:15Since the final shutdown my constituents have experienced worst connectivity,
00:19completely losing the ability to make calls in some areas
00:23and have been told to spend their own money on aftermarket antennas.
00:28A survey from farm organisation Grain Growers found 90% of producers lost service,
00:34raising safety concerns for farm workers and emergency response.
00:38In Charters Towers one family's reception plummeted from 90% to just 20%.
00:44It is very true that there are multiple complaints from customers particularly in regional areas
00:50who've seen fortuitous coverage diminish and who have seen their services overall being challenged.
00:56Telco's Insist coverage has expanded. Vodafone announced earlier this year it's more than
01:01doubled its mobile coverage area to over one million square kilometres,
01:05primarily benefiting regional areas.
01:08Regional Australians are fed up with having to pay a premium for mobile coverage across Australia
01:12and that ends today with Vodafone more than doubling our network across Australia so that
01:17consumers within regional Australia can enjoy the products and services and reliability
01:21that those in the city already have today.
01:23While Telstra stated their 4G coverage now spans three million square kilometres
01:29and claimed a 50% speed boost in remote areas.
01:33The ACMA and the ACCC have both been highlighted in this not only in terms of the technical
01:41requirements but also the representations that have been made to customers about coverage pre
01:47and post switchover because as many consumers will know those coverage maps don't always match
01:53what they actually receive.