There are growing calls for the government to enforce stricter obligations on Telstra to ensure “timely and to standard” upgrades of its mobile services after several towns were left disconnected for two weeks. The disruption has sparked a debate over the adequacy of the current Universal Service Obligation (USO), which mandates Telstra to provide a “standard telephone service” within a reasonable timeframe.
Nationals leader David Littleproud has been vocal about the need for reform, stating, “The USO was put in place when Telstra was privatised, over landlines and payphones because that’s the only technology we had.” He emphasized that with the evolution of technology, “mobiles have now taken over,” and the current obligations are outdated.
Impact on Regional Communities
The recent outage affected more than 13,000 residents in Dalby, located in Queensland’s Western Downs. Essential services such as mobile calls, internet, EFTPOS, and ATMs were disrupted due to Telstra upgrading a tower. Telstra advised customers to have backup options like NBN, satellite, or landline connections, but many locals found this response inadequate.
David Littleproud criticized the response as “substandard,” highlighting that similar issues have occurred in other regional areas such as St George and Goondiwindi. “That’s why the government needs to step in,” he asserted.
Government Response and Future Legislation
The government is considering legislative changes to include mobile coverage under the USO. A spokesperson from Communications Minister Anika Wells’ office stated, “Through Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO), the government is putting mobile coverage right at the core of the Universal Services Obligation.”
“Implementation of outdoor SMS and voice will be expected by late 2027, with many Australians likely to obtain access before then,” a government statement released in February noted.
This initiative aims to ensure regional communities are not left behind in mobile coverage, a move that contrasts with the previous government’s inaction, according to the current administration.
Local Reactions and Safety Concerns
The outage in Dalby, which began on June 16, left many residents and businesses in a precarious situation. Despite uninterrupted NBN, satellite, and landline services, the lack of mobile connectivity was seen as a safety issue, particularly affecting businesses and medical personnel.
Anna Story from Dalby’s Chamber of Commerce expressed frustration, stating, “It’s a bit of a catch here — we have to rely on Telstra as once you leave town most other providers aren’t available.” She called for clearer communication from Telstra regarding future outages.
Residents like Tina Burnett shared personal challenges, describing how the outage affected her family’s ability to make urgent medical decisions. “My husband works out of town, and he was unable to contact his employer or the other works to coordinate tasks as they had no service on their mobile phones,” she explained.
Broader Implications and Next Steps
Located four hours west of Brisbane, Dalby is a significant agricultural and industrial hub in the Western Downs. The recent disruption has underscored the critical need for reliable mobile services in regional areas, especially as demand on the network continues to grow by 30 percent year-on-year, according to Telstra.
“We’ve seen this elsewhere … in St George, and in Goondiwindi, we had outages going well beyond days,” Littleproud said, emphasizing the need for government intervention.
As the government prepares to consult and introduce new legislation, the focus will be on ensuring that mobile infrastructure keeps pace with technological advancements and regional needs. The proposed changes aim to prevent future disruptions and ensure that all Australians, regardless of location, have access to reliable mobile services.
The situation in Dalby serves as a reminder of the importance of updating infrastructure obligations to reflect current technological realities, ensuring that regional communities are not left in the digital dark.
