The Albanese government has opened up grant applications for two its programs to improve communications in regional, rural, remote and First Nations areas, with $150 million in total in funding.
The Mobile Black Spot Round 7 stream has $50 million in the kitty for network operators and and infrastructure builders, to improve coverage across Australia.
A $100 million funded Regional Connectivity Round 3 program meanwhile will provide grants to projects that provide new or improved broadband, and/or mobile services, in eligibile locations around Australia.
The grant opportunity is open to underserved regions across Australia, outside major urban centres outside areas with more than 100,000 people.
Blue Mountains, Adelaide Hills, remote communities in nort of Western Australia, Central Australia, and Queensland's Far North are included in the definition.
Applicants including mobile network operators, communities and other interested parties are encouraged to work together to develop solutions.
This includes multi-operator solutions, with active sharing technologies.
Some $22.5 million of the funding is earmarked to support solutions that contribute towards achieving Target 17 of the Closing the Gap initiative, to ensure First Nations people have equal levels of digitial inclusion by 2026.
Minister for communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland, announced the grant programs , saying they are designed to help those living in rural, regional and First Nations communitions to stay in touch with loved ones, run businesses efficiently and to stay connected during emergencies.
All in all, the government said it is providing over $656 million to improve mobile and broadband connectivity and resilience in rural and regional Australia.
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