Remote Indigenous Communications Review
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Remote Indigenous Communications Review Dr Daniel Featherstone Remote Indigenous Communications Review Telecommunications Programs and Current Needs for Remote Indigenous Communities Dr Daniel Featherstone October 2020 “Remote Indigenous Communications Review: Telecommunications Programs and Current Needs for Remote Indigenous Communities” Authored by Dr Daniel Featherstone Published in 2020 The operation of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network is made possible by funding provided by the Commonwealth of Australia under section 593 of the Telecommunications Act 1997. This funding is recovered from charges on telecommunications carriers. Dr Daniel Featherstone, Media and Communications Consultant Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0437 798 076 Australian Communications Consumer Action Network Website: www.accan.org.au Email: [email protected] Telephone: 02 9288 4000 If you are deaf, or have a hearing or speech impairment, contact us through the National Relay Service: https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/phone/services-people- disability/accesshub/national-relay-service/service-features/national-relay-service-call- numbers. ISBN: 978-1-921974-65-6 Cover: Nathaniel Morrison, using image from iStock, 2020 This work is copyright, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. You are free to cite, copy, communicate and adapt this work, so long as you attribute “Dr Daniel Featherstone and the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN)”. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This work can be cited as: Featherstone D (2020) Remote Indigenous Communications Review: Telecommunications Programs and Current Needs for Remote Indigenous Communities, Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, Sydney . CONTENTS CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................................1 FIGURES ...........................................................................................................................................................6 TABLES .............................................................................................................................................................6 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................................7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................................................................................................9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................................. 11 PART A: OVERVIEW OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESS PROGRAMS FOR REMOTE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ......................................................................................................................... 12 1 AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS ............................................................................................. 12 1.1 LATE 1990S - 2015 ........................................................................................................................................ 12 1.1.1 Universal Service Obligation (USO) 1991 - present ........................................................................... 12 1.1.2 Extended Zones contract 2001 .......................................................................................................... 12 1.1.3 ‘Networking the Nation’ 1998-2001 ................................................................................................. 13 1.1.4 Telecommunications Action Plan for Remote Indigenous Communities (TAPRIC) 2003-06 .............. 13 1.1.5 Backing Indigenous Ability (BIA) 2007-10 ......................................................................................... 13 1.1.6 Indigenous Communications Program (ICP) 2009-13 ....................................................................... 14 1.1.7 Broadband Access Programs 2004-11 .............................................................................................. 14 1.2 2015 - 2019 ................................................................................................................................................. 15 1.2.1 Indigenous Telecommunications projects ......................................................................................... 15 1.2.2 ‘Your Online Journey’ App ................................................................................................................. 16 1.2.3 Community Phones Program - WiFi Upgrade ................................................................................... 16 1.2.4 Community WiFi Trial program ......................................................................................................... 17 1.3 CURRENT AND UPCOMING ................................................................................................................................ 17 1.3.1 Mobile Black Spot Program .............................................................................................................. 17 1.3.2 Regional Broadband Scheme ............................................................................................................ 18 1.3.3 Regional Connectivity Program (upcoming) ..................................................................................... 18 1.3.4 Alternative Voice Services Trials in rural and remote Australia ........................................................ 19 1.3.5 Indigenous Digital Inclusion Plan ...................................................................................................... 20 1.3.6 Closing the Gap Refresh .................................................................................................................... 20 1.3.7 Universal Service Guarantee ............................................................................................................. 20 1.3.8 The Australian Data and Digital Council ........................................................................................... 21 1.3.9 Australian Broadband Advisory Council ............................................................................................ 22 1 1.3.10 Digital Literacy Initiatives ............................................................................................................. 22 2 STATE AND TERRITORY PROGRAMS...................................................................................................... 24 2.1 WESTERN AUSTRALIA ....................................................................................................................................... 24 2.1.1 Regional Telecommunications Project .............................................................................................. 25 2.1.2 Satellite Small Cell Mobile Rollout .................................................................................................... 26 2.1.3 Establishment of Community WiFi in Remote Communities ............................................................. 26 2.1.4 Digital Farm Grant Fund ................................................................................................................... 27 2.1.5 Data Collection on Indigenous Community Connectivity .................................................................. 27 2.1.6 The WA Digital Infrastructure Atlas .................................................................................................. 27 2.1.7 Digital Inclusion Working Group ....................................................................................................... 28 2.2 QUEENSLAND ................................................................................................................................................. 28 2.2.1 Mobile Black Spots co-investment .................................................................................................... 28 2.2.2 Torres Strait Regional Authority ....................................................................................................... 28 2.2.3 Queensland Capacity Network .......................................................................................................... 29 2.2.4 GetOnlineQld .................................................................................................................................... 29 2.3 SOUTH AUSTRALIA ........................................................................................................................................... 29 2.4 NORTHERN TERRITORY ..................................................................................................................................... 29 2.4.1 Co-investment in expanding telecommunications infrastructure in NT remote areas ..................... 30 2.4.2 NTG/Telstra 2015-2018 Infrastructure Sustainability Co-Contribution Agreement Project ............. 30 2.4.3 Remote Mobile Phone Hotspots ....................................................................................................... 30 2.4.4 Digital Territory Strategy .................................................................................................................. 31 2.4.5 Pre-Paid WiFi Solution (in development) .......................................................................................... 31 2.4.6 NT Library