Australian government taps postal vans to track remote network coverage

The Australian government has tapped the nation’s postal vehicle fleet to audit mobile network coverage across the country’s remote interior. Postal vans will carry network measurement devices to track coverage across 180,000 km of regional and rural roads, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland has announced. 

A pilot phase is now underway, with the main audit to start later this month. It will be conducted annually for the next three years. It is part of the government’s 1.1 billion Australian dollar (US$747.2 million) “better connectivity” plan to improve remote and rural mobile coverage – one of a series of initiatives to boost connectivity in regional and outback Australia.

Under the same scheme, the government recently allocated AU$480 million (US$326 million) to NBN Co to boost rural fixed wireless and satellite.

This has meant the upgrade of 120,000 satellite-connected premises to enable them to shift to fixed wireless, while the FWA network is being enhanced to support speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s, with 85% of premises able to access 250 Mbit/s.

The federal government last week also unveiled a AU$41 million ($28 million) scheme to upgrade 4G and 5G coverage for communities in urban fringe areas that are vulnerable to natural disasters.

‘Historically under-served’

Funds have been allocated for 47 projects covering 80,000 residents, with telcos and the Queensland state government tipping in AU$43 million ($29 million).

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