TURNBULL GOVERNMENT FAILING UP TO 200,000 REGIONAL BROADBAND CONSUMERS

Up to 200,000 regional Australians are at risk of being stranded with inferior broadband services unless the Turnbull Government steps in to provide certainty and assurance to Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs).

These are non-NBN wireless broadband providers who are currently transmitting in the 3.6 Ghz spectrum that has been earmarked for auction for 5G mobile services.

Labor wants the 5G spectrum auction to proceed as soon as possible – but the WISP problem must be addressed by the Minister as a matter of urgency.

The Government must ensure that these regional Australians are not left worse off by the planned spectrum auction.

During Senate Estimates, yesterday, the Government confirmed it had no plans to address the concerns of more than 38 regional businesses providing high-speed broadband in rural and regional Australia.

These companies provide a superfast wireless broadband services in the NBN satellite footprint where NBN either can’t or won’t provide the same quality of service.

Councils, small businesses and households in Regional Australia are relying on these innovative regional businesses to work, do business and complete their studies.

The Turnbull Government must act now to provide certainty to them.

On 12 January, I wrote to the Minister for Communications and the Minister for Regional Communications asking them to intervene.

Tragically, the National Party has been too distracted with its own internal disputes to focus on the needs of regional consumers.