Cr Cornwell McKean has welcomed an Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) inquiry into regional mobile coverage across Australia, including whether domestic mobile roaming should be mandated.
“I have said it before and I will say it again. It astounds me that in 2026 we are still waiting for telcos to provide reliable, equitable and ubiquitous communications to the bush,” Cr Cornwell McKean said.
“The Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation and the potential for domestic digital roaming will be great initial steps but a focused review of the regulatory environment will help true equity to be realised.
“But I have one big ask for the regulators. Get on with it.
“Rural, regional and remote Australia deserve better telco services now.
“For years telcos have been telling us the investment case just doesn’t stack up and, frankly, that is because they have been behaving like children who don’t want to share their toys.”
Cr Cornwell McKean said in Berrigan Shire, there are far too many people walking around with mobile phones from multiple providers because one town only has semi-reliable coverage from one provider and another town only has semi-reliable coverage from another.
The inquiry announcement followed the Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman’s Systemic Insight Report called ‘Left Behind: Experiences of telco consumers living in rural, regional and remote Australia'.
Cr Cornwell McKean said “it builds on the momentum that has been slowly growing over the last little while that telco services, particularly mobile services, in the bush are not up to scratch”.
“I first worked in telecommunications policy and regulation in the late 1990s and have to say I am perplexed that the industry has been unable to achieve reliable ubiquitous coverage on its own.
“However, these most recent events may just speed that up, as it has given our city cousins a real taste of what can happen when the telcos can’t get it right,” she said.
The ACCC inquiry will run for 12 months with a strong focus on the importance of mobile coverage, provider choice and network reliability, particularly for people living, working and travelling in regional areas.
