Have your say on access laws for the mobile market

The Albanese Government will consult on whether reforms to infrastructure sharing requirements are needed to support a more competitive mobile market and make mobile services more broadly available.

Infrastructure sharing, or co-locating, provides greater opportunities for mobile providers to offer services ¾ particularly in regional and remote locations, given the typically higher costs associated with deploying networks in these areas.

 Under current legislation, telecommunications carriers and some infrastructure providers must grant other carriers access to facilities they own or operate.
 
However, recent changes in the market and the emergence of new standalone tower companies highlight the potential for the regulations to apply unevenly.
 
The consultation invites submissions from industry and the public to examine whether facilities and tower access regulations are effective in supporting efficient infrastructure sharing.
 
It follows the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Regional Mobile Infrastructure Inquiry 2022-23 findings that the facilities access regime is no longer fit for purpose, given recent market changes.
 
And the House of Representatives’ Connecting the country: Mission critical inquiry recommendations on addressing regulatory barriers to co‑investment in multi‑carrier regional mobile infrastructure.
 
The Albanese Government wants to reduce barriers to investment and foster a competitive mobile market that benefits all Australians.
 
The consultation closes on Friday 22 March 2024. For more information visit:
https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say