News
24 March, 2025
Building Somerset’s mobile coverage
THE Federal Government has announced a major reform to provide basic universal outdoor mobile coverage across Australia, including in Somerset.
Labor’s Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) will require mobile carriers to provide access to mobile voice and SMS services almost everywhere across Australia. This policy is expected to deliver up to 5 million square kilometers of new competitive outdoor mobile coverage, including over 1,600 square kilometers in the Somerset region. Whether it's in national parks, hiking trails, or on farms, outdoor mobile coverage will become widely accessible.
The aim of the policy is to:
Expand Triple Zero access for Australians nationwide.
Expand outdoor voice and SMS coverage into existing mobile black spots.
Improve mobile signal availability during disasters and power outages.
The policy is made possible by the transformative Low Earth Orbit Satellites (LEOSats) and the arrival of Direct to Device (D2D) technology, which enables mobile signals to be delivered directly from space to mobile devices.
A re-elected Albanese Government will consult and introduce legislation in 2025 to expand the universal service framework to include mobile coverage for the first time.
This will benefit many areas within the Somerset region, including Mount Stanley, Monsildale, Jimna, Kingaham, Avoca Vale, Mount Byron, Linville, Biarra, Sheep Station Creek, Sandy Creek, Colinton, Harlin, Mount Kilcoy, Lake Manchester, Hazeldean, Moore, Westvale, Eskdale, Buaraba, Ivory Creek, Dundas, Crossdale, Redbank Creek, Mount Archer, Bryden, and Banks Creek.
