‍ 

THE HON DAVID LITTLEPROUD MP

Leader of The Nationals

Shadow Agriculture Minister

Federal Member for Maranoa

Dr ANNE WEBSTER

‍Shadow Minister for Regional Communications

Federal Member for Mallee

29 September 2025

Mobile phone coverage must be included in Universal Service Obligation reform

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud is reiterating calls to reform the Universal Service Obligation (USO), following another major mobile phone outage.

Mr Littleproud said the latest Optus outage showed the vulnerability of the 000 service if a mobile phone tower goes down and the service does not divert to another provider’s tower.

“In regional Australia there are a large number of communities that are ‘one tower towns’, which means the 000 service is at risk daily,” Mr Littleproud said.

“Labor urgently needs to reform the USO, which currently only ensures landlines and pay phones are maintained, to include mobile phone towers, to protect lives in regional Australia.

“Telcos and taxpayers are paying $270 million a year to maintain paid phones and landlines, why wouldn’t we extend it to mobile phone towers? We need a common-sense approach and we need it immediately, before more lives continue to be put at risk.”

Mr Littleproud added one of the key principles in joining the Coalition was to develop a framework to reform Universal Service Obligations.

“Telcos should be required to have timeline provisions and repair towers and infrastructure within a certain time. Right now, Telcos are failing our communities and the risk of phone outages is simply too great to ignore.”

Shadow Minister for Regional Communications Dr Anne Webster said regional Australia deserves the same reliable access to emergency services as metropolitan areas.

“Right now, if one tower goes down, entire communities can be cut off,” Dr Webster said.

“The draft UOMO legislation relies too heavily on satellite solutions, ignoring the need for on-ground redundancy. We've seen the tragic outcomes of the Optus failures – people unable to call for help in life-threatening situations. An updated USO must mandate network resilience, including cross-carrier roaming for triple zero calls and mandatory upkeep of taxpayer-funded towers from the Mobile Black Spot Program.

“The Nationals are ready to work constructively with the Government, but we won't accept half-measures that leave regional Australians vulnerable. It's time to prioritise lives over excuses.

“The Nationals have long advocated for USO reform, highlighting how the phase-out of 3G has weakened networks without adequate safeguards. With mobile phones now essential for everything, from emergency calls to business operations, we call for a comprehensive review that includes mobile telephony alongside landlines and emerging technologies.”

Background

The Telecommunications (Emergency Call Persons) Determination 2019 specifies the operators of the Emergency Call Services. The Determination specifies Telstra as the Emergency Call Person for Triple Zero (000) and 112. Telstra has responsibility for providing the service which answers calls to these numbers, and transfers them to the requested emergency service organisation.

National operator of emergency call services

Telstra Limited operates an emergency call service for receiving and handling calls to the emergency service numbers 000 and 112. The number 112 has been specified in the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 2015 as an emergency service number and is an alternative available for digital mobile phones.

The Telstra Satellite messaging is currently available for all standard iPhones 13 and above and some Samsung phones. It picks up the Satellite once you are out of phone range. Text messaging only - this does not work for 000. You would need to text someone and let them know the issue and they call 000 for you.

000

You can call 000 even if your mobile provider does not have network coverage in the area. Your call to 000 will be carried on any available mobile network. You must be in the coverage area (any carrier) of one of the mobile providers in Australia to make emergency calls.

If there is no mobile coverage on any network, you will not be able to reach the Emergency Call Service via a mobile phone, regardless of which number you dialled.

‍

‍