The Coalition government has pledged $250 million to improve mobile coverage in regional NSW communities with poor connectivity as part of its campaign for the upcoming state election.
The funding will also support transport coverage and visitor economies that require occasional support for large crowds. Deputy premier and minister for regional NSW, Paul Toole, said the government aims to shift from the traditional “one tower, one provider” model to a shared infrastructure approach, which would not only improve coverage but also drive better competition and choices for consumers.
This funding promise coincides with the deployment of neutral host towers by OneWiFi and Pivotel in remote NSW communities of Brewarrina and Wilcania. The NSW government has already allocated $50 million in funding to support the development of shared infrastructure models, with eight companies including Optus, Telstra, TPG Telecom, BAI Communications, Field Solutions Group (FSG), Infrastructure Logic, NEC, and Pivotel selected to participate.