New rules introduced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority which dictate how mobile telcos demonstrate their coverage are now in place, this means for the first time you can genuinely compare the maps of Optus, Telstra and Vodafone to see where coverage exists.
Telstra’s not happy, you won’t hear them getting excited about this, unlike their competitors – take Vodafone for example, a spokesperson telling EFTM “This is a huge win for Australians. For the first time, customers can look at a coverage map and trust it reflects where their phone will actually work in everyday conditions. That transparency will drive stronger competition, helping customers get better value and making it easier to compare providers and avoid paying a premium for coverage that doesn’t deliver.”
According to recent research from Deloitte Access Economics, Vodafone customers report its expanded mobile network is valued at about $90 a year on top of what they already pay, reflecting the everyday benefit people place on a reliable network, whether they’re on the road, accessing services online or staying connected when it matters most.
“Our maps have also been simplified with consistent colour coding to make them easier to read at a glance, including for users with accessibility needs, so customers can quickly see the level of coverage they can expect.”
The regulator ACMA say this helps people be informed when making telco choices, Chair Nerida O’Loughlin saying “Australians rely on telco services every day for work, education, business, staying connected with family and friends, and accessing help in an emergency,”
“These new rules will give consumers clearer and comparable information about mobile coverage and network performance, helping them make more informed choices about their telco provider.”
“Mobile coverage maps have not always been easy to compare because providers have measured and presented coverage in different ways,”
And it’s complex, basically different telcos had differing views on what “coverage” means, and yes it should be simple, but the device, where you stand, indoors vs outdoors there’s a lot of factors.
Telstra make their case this way, “While the colours and shapes will change (on the map), what matters most hasn’t: the strength and reach of our network remains the same.
Under the new national standard set by the telecommunications industry regulator (ACMA), a more conservative signal strength threshold is used to determine what can be shown as predicted coverage on maps. If predicted signal strength falls below this threshold, it must be labelled “no coverage.”
You may still have access to services in “no coverage” areas, but that signal strength is predicted to be below the level required to be classified as usable coverage under the standard, and the standard provides that connectivity would be limited and inconsistent.
Our data shows that around 1.5 million customers have used our network each month in areas now shown as “no coverage”, to make and receive calls, send SMSs and access data.“
Frankly, the maps are still wildly different, because of the graphics used but having checked all the telcos before and After, Telstra’s appears the most different, because they have implemented the three levels of shown coverage by darkness of the colours, and this replaces a block “on/off” style coverage display.
Drill down far closer to a place you’re planning to visit or where you live or holiday and it’s much clearer.
I chose Young, where I visit family often and here’s the new look:
And look, anyone can see that it’s still quite clear across Australia, Telstra has the biggest network.
The question this new consistent methodology answers is – by how much?
Millions of Square kilometers of coverage may have been wiped from the maps, and as Telstra says – you may still get coverage there, but the same is true for the other Telcos. However you should expect coverage if its shown on a map – simple.
Will this have people switching to a new telco? Not likely. But we do have transparency and consistency – for once.
Check your telco’s coverage maps today:
Trev is a Technology Commentator, Dad, Speaker and Rev Head.
He produces and hosts several popular podcasts, EFTM, Two Blokes Talking Tech, Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars, The Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, and the Private Feed. He is the resident tech expert for Triple M on radio across Australia, and is the resident Tech Expert on Channel 9’s Today Show and appears regularly on 9 News, A Current Affair and Sky News Early Edition.
Father of three, he is often found in his Man Cave.
