Australia pioneers universal mobile coverage in a global first

Australia has passed a new law that forces mobile operators to share responsibility for nationwide coverage by combining their existing tower networks with direct-to-device services from low-Earth orbit satellites. The aim is to give people in remote and regional areas the same basic ability to call and text as those in cities, especially in emergencies.

Under the rules, carriers must work with satellite providers so standard phones can connect even when they are out of range of terrestrial networks. Regulators describe it as a world-first framework for integrating satellite and mobile services at a national scale, though details on pricing, service quality, and rollout timelines remain to be worked out between operators, satellite firms, and the government.