A farmer leaving the site of a fatal car crash to find mobile reception to call for help.
It says telecommunications should be given the same priority as roads and energy, and classified as an essential service because of its importance in "life or death" situations. "Numerous participants in the review have expressed their fear around loss of life or limb during recent bushfires, weather events and floods, compounded by the inability to communicate with emergency services ... or receive real time updates on the rapidly evolving situation," the report said.
It recommends the government look at funding models for its $875 million mobile black spot program to increase competition, while also auditing coverage performance across regional Australia. There is low consumer awareness and understanding of its premium service, Sky Muster Plus, which allows unmetered access for web browsing and email, the review found.