About the project
Over $300 million from the Regional Digital Connectivity program has been allocated to improve mobile phone coverage and increase the number of mobile service providers on offer across regional NSW.
Our program of work will be progressively rolled out across multiple stages, with a focus on increasing consumer choice and improving mobile coverage for families and businesses in rural and regional NSW.
Click to enlarge: Map of regional locations to receive improved mobile coverage (PDF 87.44KB)
Objectives
We're investing in shared mobile tower and network infrastructure solutions, and emerging technologies, which can deliver multi-carrier outcomes for rural and regional NSW.
We recognise the importance of increasing mobile competition to give regional consumers more mobile service provider choice, more widespread coverage and better pricing.
We're committed to:
- building future-proofed mobile infrastructure
- enabling emerging technologies, such as 5G, RAN and mmWave
- delivering resilient mobile phone services that can maintain coverage through the harsh conditions of the Australian climate, such as fire, drought, and floods.
Delivery process and timeline
An initial $30 million investment will extend and improve mobile coverage through our Active Sharing Partnership program.
NSW is the first Australian jurisdiction to develop active sharing partnerships between the government and telecommunications sector to benefit rural and regional communities.
Request for Proposal announced
December 2021
Request for Proposal was released to the market seeking Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Mobile network infrastructure providers (MNIPs) to form a paid partnership with government to design active sharing solutions. The tender closed in February 2022.
Active Sharing Partnership announced
February 2022
Following the Request for Proposal, eight organisations were announced as the successful participants for our Active Sharing Partnership program.
The partnership organisations include: Optus, Telstra, TPG Telecom, BAI Communications, Field Solutions Group, Infrastructure Logic, NEC and Pivotel Mobile.
Active Sharing Partnership design trials
May–August 2022
Over 15-weeks, the eight organisations in our Active Sharing Partnership collaborated to design new active sharing mobile solutions across four network categories, and their underpinning commercial arrangements.
The 15-week design trials tested commercial sharing arrangements to determine the most suitable rural and regional locations where active sharing solutions could be explored in the future, to provide new and improved coverage outcomes for communities.
Active Sharing Partnership grant opportunity
September 2022
The $30 million Active Sharing Partnership grant opportunity opened for applications on 28 September 2022. The grant opportunity proposed to provide funding for the construction of active sharing mobile solutions that would provide new or overlapping 4G and 5G mobile voice and data services to eligible regional NSW locations and would be ready for service by December 2025.
The grant guidelines and key information is available on the NSW Government's Grants and Funding Finder website.
November 2022
The grant opportunity closed on 14 November 2022. A range of applications and technical solutions were assessed by a panel. The applications sought to implement and operate active sharing mobile solutions in regional NSW.
The successful recipients from the grant opportunity are expected to be announced in early 2023.
First grant recipients announced
February 2023
The first Active Sharing Partnership grant recipients were announced on Friday 24 February 2023.
The far-west communities of Brewarrina and Wilcannia are set to benefit from improved mobile coverage thanks to a $5.5 million agreement between the NSW Government, OneWiFi and Pivotel.
The agreement will provide coverage to 1350 square kilometres, benefiting more than 800 premises in Brewarrina and Wilcannia, with two mobile towers offering new 4G and 5G voice and data services.
Our projects underway
OneWiFi and Pivotel Mobile Solutions
Delivering two new active sharing mobile solutions in Brewarrina and Wilcannia, benefiting more than 800 premises.
Snowy Mountains Mobile Safety Project
Construction of five small cell solutions to improve mobile coverage along the Snowy Mountains Highway.
Regional Roads Australia Mobile Program Pilot
Better mobile coverage along rural, regional and remote highways and roads in NSW.
Next steps
In the coming months, additional government investment will expand upon the Active Sharing Partnership program. This investment will deliver a range of innovative digital solutions to increase the choice of mobile service providers and improve regional mobile and internet coverage for:
- small population centres
- first nations communities
- along key transport corridors
- built tourism destinations.
Contact us
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For more information and updates about digital connectivity projects underway in regional NSW, contact us and a member of our team will be in touch shortly.
Email: rdc.program@dpird.nsw.gov.au