Consumers will have access to clearer information about mobile coverage and network outages, with new rules introduced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) now in effect.
From today, telco providers must publish standardised mobile coverage maps and maintain online registers of resolved network outages, giving consumers more consistent and comparable information about the networks they rely on.
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the new rules mark an important step in improving transparency across the telco sector.
“Australians rely on telco services every day for work, education, business, staying connected with family and friends, and accessing help in an emergency,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
“These new rules will give consumers clearer and comparable information about mobile coverage and network performance, helping them make more informed choices about their telco provider.”
Under the new mobile coverage rules, mobile network operators must publish maps showing 4G and 5G coverage across Australia using standard categories of good, moderate, basic or no coverage. The maps must include plain English descriptions of what each level of coverage means and be updated at least every three months.
Ms O’Loughlin said the standardised maps would make it easier for consumers to compare mobile coverage between providers.
“Mobile coverage maps have not always been easy to compare because providers have measured and presented coverage in different ways,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
“For the first time, consumers will have access to like-for-like information about mobile coverage in locations across Australia.”
The outage register rules require telcos to provide public registers of resolved major outages and significant local outages across their networks.
These registers must include information including when the outage started, when services were restored, the geographic areas affected, the types and estimated number of services impacted, and the high-level cause of the outage.
Ms O’Loughlin said the outage data would benefit consumers, regulators and emergency services stakeholders.
“Network outages can be incredibly disruptive, particularly when they affect access to vital communications services,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
“Publishing outage information in a consistent way will improve transparency for consumers and provide valuable public data about the reliability of the telco networks.”
The ACMA expects telcos to meet these new requirements and will monitor industry compliance.
