Telecommunications in Remote Indigenous Communities

September 2008

Indigenous Australians living in remote communities face distinct challenges in accessing and using basic telecommunications services. Vast geographic distances, small and remote populations, the cost of deploying telecommunications infrastructure and harsh environmental conditions present difficulties for the provision of telecommunications services to these communities. These difficulties are compounded by the socioeconomic disadvantages faced by many individuals within remote Indigenous communities.

Telecommunications in Remote Indigenous Communities provides detailed information on access to telecommunications services in remote Indigenous communities, and discusses factors that may inhibit or enable service availability and use. It presents the most recent data collected by ACMA in its regulatory monitoring arrangements and provides a synthesis of other current research. Aside from assisting ACMA in its regulatory responsibilities, this report aims to inform service providers, the wider community, and current government review and policy processes about the levels of telecommunications service in Indigenous communities.