On 31 March 2022, the Australian Government announced that it had directed the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into towers used in the supply of mobile telecommunications and other radiocommunications services in regional areas, and into the feasibility of providing mobile roaming during natural disasters or other emergencies.

The Inquiry was conducted under Part 25 of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

The Inquiry has now concluded. The final report was provided to the Minister on 30 June 2023.

Scope of the inquiry

The inquiry looked at the costs of providing towers and associated infrastructure, including land access, and how these translate into the fee structures for firms that want to access towers to provide mobile and other wireless services. It also looked at the factors that are important for industry in deciding whether to invest in towers and provide better mobile coverage.

The ACCC considered the technical feasibility of providing roaming during natural disasters or other emergencies, as well as what sort of business systems and processes will be required and the time and cost involved.

The inquiry provided an evidence base to the Government to support future policy decisions.

Further details of the matters considered in the inquiry are provided in the Ministerial direction.

Timeline