A Senate Inquiry has found telcos have not done enough to ensure farm communities could stay safe and connected following the 3G shutdown.
On Wednesday the Senate Inquiry delivered its final report into the 3G network shutdown, concluding the switchoff had not been managed appropriately and many Australians had suddenly lost connectivity as gaps in coverage were exposed.
"Mobile coverage maps didn't tell the truth, and many farm communities have lost the connectivity we need to stay safe, let alone conduct our business," NSW Farmers Rural Affairs Committee Member Sarah Thompson said.
"This 3G switch off has affected the mobile phones and data accessibility we rely on to conduct our businesses.
"Farmers have also had to make expensive upgrades to water monitors, tractors, irrigation rigs and much more to enable continuity of business."
To address deteriorating connectivity across the state, the report recommended a co-funded program be established to help customers purchase new or replacement equipment such as boosters to improve their connectivity in rural and remote NSW.
Broadening the scope of a national mobile coverage audit and expediting the introduction of Starlink mobile phone services were also among the recommendations of the report, which Ms Thompson said was just the start of the work to be done on rural and remote connectivity.
"We still need mobile towers to be upgraded so at a minimum, we have the connectivity and coverage that is equivalent to what we had before," Ms Thompson said.
"The Federal Government needs to work with telco providers to deliver both the recommendations of this report and the recent Regional Telecommunications Review, so they can give our rural and regional communities the reliable connectivity they deserve.
"In the future, we also need better government oversight over these huge and potentially catastrophic connectivity transitions, so something like this simply can't happen again."
