Boost for regional telecommunications resilience

Round 2 of the Federal Government’s Mobile Network Hardening Program (MNHP) is set to provide hundreds of remote and regional communities more resilient mobile networks.  

The program aims to reduce the risks of service outages during natural disasters and throughout the response and recovery period.  

Round 2 of the MNHP is providing $14.2 million for 386 projects, including:  

• Battery back-up power upgrades that will uplift power reserves to provide an additional 12 hours of service during outages 
• Upgrades to transmission resiliency across clusters of connected base stations. This will mitigate the potential for single points of failure to cause outages 
• Permanent generators that will provide five to seven days of backup power 
• Two Disaster Recovery Skids that can be deployed to restore mobile services to regional and remote New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, helping communities recover from natural disasters  

Approximately 90 per cent of the 988 Round 1 MNHP projects to improve mobile network telecommunications infrastructure resilience are now complete. Round 2 funding brings the total number of projects to 1,385. 

For a full list of funded projects, visit: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/mnhp  

Rollout schedules will be published on the grantees’ websites once contracts are executed. 

The MNHP is part of the Federal Government’s $1.1 billion Better Connectivity Plan which is improving mobile and broadband connectivity and resilience.  

The program is driving productivity, economic and social participation for rural, regional and First Nation’s communities and helping to narrow the digital divide.  

Federal Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, said that while no telecommunications network can ever be 100 per cent disaster-proof, the Federal Government is determined to reduce the risk of communications outages during natural disasters. 

“This funding will deliver over 380 projects across the country to keep networks online when Australians need it most,” Minister Rowland said.  

“Funded through our $1.1 billion Better Connectivity Plan, the Mobile Network Hardening Program is another example of how the Federal Government is delivering on our commitment to improve connectivity for regional, rural, remote Australians.” 

Image: Alex Cimbal/shutterstock.com