When Leah Wray and her family moved into a new suburb on the outskirts of Darwin in 2023, they were enticed by the promise of a “smart community” equipped with cutting-edge underground technology. However, two years later, Wray describes her experience as “ultimately the opposite,” citing frequent internet outages and, more recently, the abrupt loss of free-to-air television services.
Wray is not alone in her frustration. Tens of thousands of residents across Australia, particularly in newly developed greenfield suburbs, are experiencing similar issues. The decommissioning of free-to-air TV technology by Opticomm, a private company owning the fibre-optic network in these areas, has left many residents scrambling for alternatives.
Opticomm’s Decommissioning Decision
In Bellamack, where Wray resides, and in over 500,000 other properties across the nation, Opticomm’s fibre-optic network differs from the publicly owned National Broadband Network (NBN). Unlike the NBN, Opticomm provides infrastructure for both internet connectivity and free-to-air television over its network. However, in September, Opticomm informed a subset of its customers—about 10%—that free-to-air television services would “no longer operate over our network.”
The notification advised residents to switch to streaming services using free-to-air apps or consider installing an antenna, both at their own expense. “We shouldn’t have been required to have any other additional costs to get our free-to-air on,” Wray commented. While she managed to install an antenna for approximately $600, the process is not straightforward for everyone.
Challenges for Apartment Residents
Mike Thomas, residing in a multi-storey retirement village in Yeronga, Brisbane, also received Opticomm’s letter. “The situation that they have presented us with is very poor, and it’s just not good enough,” Thomas stated. “There’s a lot of people who were really left in the lurch.”
Ryan Knowles, general manager of Village Retirement Group, explained that installing an antenna in a multi-storey building would necessitate re-cabling the entire structure, potentially costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Additionally, Knowles noted, “not everyone in our villages has the digital acumen to handle digital TV.”
To compound the issue, many residents in Yeronga and another village lost access on September 27, just before the AFL grand final, despite Opticomm’s letter indicating a phased shutdown starting October 1.
Opticomm’s Response and Regulatory Gaps
In a statement, an Opticomm spokesperson explained that the “equipment used to receive free-to-air television” was “reaching end-of-life” and “interfering” with other network upgrades. The company pledged to extend FTA television services in the Northern Territory until July 1, 2027, but did not clarify the situation for customers who had already lost access or those outside the NT.
The Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) confirmed that rules concerning statutory infrastructure providers like Opticomm do “not apply” to the supply of free-to-air television, labeling it a “commercial matter.”
Internet Service Issues and Calls for Reform
Both Thomas and Wray reported persistent issues with Opticomm’s internet services, from frequent “glitches” and loading delays to extended connection wait times. Numerous customers have echoed these complaints, citing outages lasting from two days to two weeks.
An Opticomm spokesperson mentioned that the company is “actively investing in infrastructure to improve the resilience of the network” in the NT but did not address whether similar efforts are underway elsewhere in Australia. Many customers have lodged complaints with their internet service providers and the Telecommunications Ombudsman, but with limited success.
RMIT University associate professor in engineering, Mark Gregory, highlighted the lack of “performance standards” for infrastructure providers, which leaves regulators with “very limited powers” to address widespread outages. Gregory emphasized the need for change, a sentiment echoed in a September 2025 report from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), which urged the federal government to establish “service quality standards” for statutory infrastructure providers “as a matter of priority.”
“It’s not enough for a statutory infrastructure provider to have obligations to a retailer – we need clear service quality standards consumers can rely on,” stated Telecommunications Ombudsman Cynthia Gebert.
The ABC reached out to Federal Minister for Communications Anika Wells for comment, but she did not respond by the deadline.
Looking Ahead
The situation with Opticomm underscores the challenges faced by residents in rapidly developing areas and highlights the regulatory gaps that need addressing. As the federal government considers the TIO’s recommendations, residents like Wray and Thomas are left to navigate the complexities of securing reliable television and internet services in their communities.
For now, the affected residents are left with limited options, and the broader implications for infrastructure regulation in Australia remain a topic of critical discussion among policymakers and industry experts.
