Media Release - Coverage honesty to boost consumer choice

ACCAN

Peak consumer body ACCAN has today welcomed the announcement from the Minister for Communications, Anika Wells, and sector regulator ACMA that telcos must comply with new coverage honesty requirements from 30 June 2026.

This is a significant win for Australian communications consumers. For years ACCAN has heard from frustrated customers, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas, that the coverage they experience does not match what was advertised.

This has been a sore spot for many consumers. Over the last year, nearly a third (30%) of respondents to ACCAN’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker (conducted by Essential Research) say they received different coverage than they were led to expect by their telco.

Until now, coverage maps have often functioned more as marketing tools than a source meaningful consumer information. Definitions of coverage were set by telcos themselves, with limited transparency around how maps were produced, and the ACCC noting they are largely based on predictions, and not auditable.

Some of Australia’s major telcos have been locked in a ‘war of definitions’ for many months, while their customers navigate confusing and inconsistent claims.

ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said that this regulatory intervention is most welcome, and greatly needed to alleviate significant consumer frustration and enhance competition.

“This decision backs what many Australians already know from experience - coverage claims don’t always match reality,” Ms Bennett said.

“It’s not acceptable to claim coverage that turns out to be patchy, unreliable, or only works with additional equipment that most people don’t have. Consumers need to know what they can actually rely on, and now they will have reliable, comparable and plain-English coverage information.”

“Standardised definitions mean people can finally compare providers ‘like-for-like' and understand the level of service they can expect, whether they want to run a business, stay in touch with family, access education services - or simply stay safe by ensuring they can reach Triple Zero if needed.”

“The focus now must be on strong implementation and enforcement to ensure all providers meet the same standard and consumers see real improvements.”

The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is Australia’s peak communication consumer organisation. The operation of ACCAN 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.

Alec Bennetts
Mobile: 0409 966 931
Email: [email protected]