Exclusive: Telecommunication companies will be put to the test when postal workers hit the road to check phone signals around the nation.
The nation’s first-ever independent audit of mobile coverage will get under way in October, aimed at finding black spots and building a clear picture of the network.
“Sometimes it really differs from what the mobile carriers say is available,” Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said.
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“For the first time, consumers are really going to have something they can rely on.”
Australia Post vans, and eventually long haul trucks, will help Accenture carry out the audit, which will cover 180,000 kilometres of regional roads every year until 2027.
Each vehicle will contain mobile phones from Australia’s major carriers – Telstra, Optus and TPG – carrying out a range of functions on a loop including making phone calls, sending text messages, uploading or downloading to test signal strength and quality.
“The telcos coverage maps use predictive algorithms to identify areas where they believe there should be phone signal,” RMIT Associate Professor Mark Gregory said.
“There’s often situations where there may not be coverage in areas where it says there’s coverage.”
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Seventy post offices in regional towns will also be fitted with measuring devices.
“It’s about safety, particularly in the regions, people rely on coverage more than ever before,” Rowland said.
“It’s patchy … depending on where you are in Australia, it can be very good.”
Our capital cities mostly enjoy world-class 5G coverage, but even in busy, suburban areas, residents might notice their phone dropping out in certain pockets.
“In a city or an urban environment, wherever you have buildings, hills, trees, freeways – these are all going to block the mobile signal,” Gregory said.
The national network will face another major challenge when 3G is turned off by Telstra and Optus on October 28, previously delayed over concerns Australia wasn’t ready.
“There hasn’t been enough testing,” Gregory said.
“We don’t fully know the extent of the problems that will occur when we turn 3G off… there will be people that end up with no coverage.”
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Telcos say 3G-only areas will have no loss of coverage as a result of the switchover, but there are also concerns for other technology that relies on 3G including some medical devices and farm equipment.
“Get ready, don’t delay, make sure you check your tech,” Rowland said.
“It’s very important for carriers to not only listen to concerns from consumers but also act on them.”
You can check your own device by texting “3G” to 3498.
Telstra and Optus are carrying out a national campaign which is expected to reach 90 per cent of Australians before the switch off.
Both telecommunications companies say they are committed to improving the network in regional areas and have invested billions of dollars in recent years to address blackspots.
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