Australia passes law mandating basic outdoor mobile coverage via satellite and towers

In Canberra, the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) legislation was enacted, compelling Telstra, Optus and TPG to supply a minimum level of outdoor voice and text service throughout Australia. The bill expands the older Universal Service Obligation, which only covered fixed lines and payphones, and gives Communications Minister Anika Wells authority to define standards for reliability, fault rectification and possibly emergency-call access.

Providers are expected to meet the requirement using a mix of terrestrial towers and Low Earth Orbit satellites, with direct-to-device technology—currently only offered via Starlink—being a key option. Industry head Luke Coleman cautioned that the technology is unproven, spectrum has not been allocated and commercial viability is uncertain, while consumer advocate Carol Bennett warned that access could become limited to those who can afford it. The law sets a default implementation date of 31 December 2027, though the minister may defer it to the end of 2030; Wells expressed a desire for rollout by early next year, a timeline the telecom alliance deems unlikely.