Mobile sector productivity reforms could unlock millions, improve infrastructure, build resilience
2 April 2026: The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association has called for sector-wide reform, with new data showing even small improvements to reduce red tape could unlock productivity worth millions. In its submission to the Senate Select Committee on Productivity in Australia, AMTA said just a 10 per cent improvement in regulatory practice would likely deliver a four per cent uplift in telecommunications investment – equivalent to around $430 million annually.
This would be enough to accelerate the delivery between 150 and 200 mobile sites nationally each year – improving coverage for 250,000 Australians sooner. This in turn would generate between $120 million and $160 million in economic benefits through earlier access to reliable connectivity. Developed with data from the AMTA and Deloitte Access Economics report, Future of Mobile: Reforms to modernise Australia’s telecommunications, the submission calls for six key initiatives:
Modelled on similar roles in the US, the Coordinator General may also work across governments to restore mobile telecommunications coverage to communities quickly after extreme weather events. AMTA CEO, Louise Hyland, said the reforms were designed to maximise early productivity wins while embedding long-term structural change. “The path is clear, and the government needs to decide if Australia is going to be a digital leader, or lagger,” she said.
“If we are serious about lifting productivity, strengthening regional resilience and supporting emerging industries, these changes would deliver the tools to effectively do this.” Ms Hyland said faster, nationally consistent planning processes and better coordination will help accelerate deployment, close blackspots and strengthen redundancy in disaster-prone regions. “Our submission is important as it gives a roadmap for initiatives which are proven to make a huge difference. These are practical, proportionate reforms which will enable a telecommunications framework that is reliable, resilient and fit for purpose.
“There are many pressures on Australians at the moment, and mobile telecommunications are more important than ever. By modernising Australia’s telecommunications framework now, we can deliver faster deployment and a future-ready network that supports every community, regardless of postcode.”