Regional mobile issues

The Mobile Infrastructure Report 2021 provides analysis on the change in mobile network operators' (MNOs) mobile infrastructure and coverage from 2018 to 2021. The analysis is based on information collected from the three national MNOs - Singtel Optus Pty Limited (Optus), Telstra Corporation Limited (Telstra) and TPG Telecom Limited (TPG) under the Audit of Telecommunications Infrastructure Assets – Record Keeping Rules (Infrastructure RKR).

The ACCC has disclosed the relevant Infrastructure RKR data provided by the MNOs pursuant to section 152BUA(2) of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. The disclosed Infrastructure RKR data includes detailed information on the mobile sites operated by each of the MNOs as well as historical coverage maps for each year from 2018 to 2021.

The Infrastructure RKR data is available at data.gov.au at the following address: https://data.gov.au/dataset/ds-dga-4b472a18-d0fa-409c-994a-ab17162bcb90/details?q=ACCC.

The reference date for the Infrastructure RKR data disclosed on data.gov.au as well as relevant analysis is 31 January in each year. Consequently, they may not necessarily reflect current mobile site or coverage information.

The ACCC has also derived and published key statistics from the relevant data, which is presented in the excel spreadsheet titled 'Mobile Infrastructure Report 2021 - output tables' below.

The ACCC anticipates that the disclosure of the Infrastructure RKR, together with the ACCC's derived statistics and the Mobile Infrastructure Report, could be used to:

• provide more transparency to the public on how the MNOs’ mobile infrastructure has changed over time.

• enable the public to scrutinise these changes in specific geographic areas.

• provide more accountability over investment claims made by the MNOs, particularly in specific geographic areas.

• provide useful information on the state of mobile networks for policymakers, in formulating policy responses to mobile coverage issues.