The Albanese Government continues to boost mobile connectivity and resilience in areas prone to natural disasters, with $55 million in grant funding now available to areas in need through Round 8 of the Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP).
The MBSP is part of the Albanese Government's Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia which is delivering more than $1.1 billion to rural and regional communities.
MBSP is a co-funding arrangement with the telco industry for new and upgraded telecommunications infrastructure to enhance mobile coverage and competition across Australia.
Co-funding contributions from state and territory governments are encouraged to enable the program to broaden its reach and support the delivery of more projects.
MBSP Round 8 funding is targeted at natural disaster prone locations in regional and rural Australia, to bolster community safety and enable better assistance for locals during and after emergencies.
An online Project Noticeboard has been set up to allow local councillors and state, territory and federal parliamentarians to work with their local communities to identify potential projects. Telco industry applicants are encouraged to review these submissions when preparing their applications.
State and territory governments will endorse eligible areas to ensure proposed solutions put forward by industry are targeting areas prone to bushfires, cyclones and floods.
Round 8 also provides higher levels of funding for co-location and active sharing technologies delivered by all three national mobile carriers - Optus, Telstra and TPG.
Applications from the telco industry close on 30 April 2025. To apply, visit: grants.gov.au
