{"id":"BILL-r7414","name":"Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025","slug":"telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025","collection":"bill","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":445989,"registerId":"commonwealth-BILL-r7414-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-05-05","status":"introduced","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[],"analysis":{"summary":{"status_summary":"The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on 27 November 2025 and has completed initial second reading debate before referral to a Senate committee.","complexity_score":7,"likely_questions":["When will the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation actually commence and which areas might be excluded?","How will the obligation be funded and will it lead to changes in mobile service prices?"],"complexity_factors":["extensive ministerial powers to set standards, benchmarks and rules by legislative instrument","integration of low earth orbit satellite and direct-to-device technologies into the universal service framework"],"plain_english_summary":"The bill creates a Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation requiring mobile voice and SMS to be reasonably available outdoors across Australia on an equitable basis. It initially targets Telstra, Optus Mobile and TPG Telecom, supports delivery via LEO satellites and direct-to-device tech, and includes external territories.\n\nIt gives the Minister powers to define coverage, designate providers, set standards/benchmarks and make rules, funds measures from the Public Interest Telecommunications Services Special Account, and defaults to commence on 1 December 2027."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":8,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Yes. The introduced Bill goes beyond a narrow, time‑limited obligation to require baseline outdoor coverage (the UOMO) by also giving the Minister broad, ongoing powers to make standards, benchmarks and rules for mobile telecommunications services generally (new Part 5A). Those broader powers (added after the exposure draft) include the ability to set retail terms and prices for UOMO services, to impose performance benchmarks across carriers and CSPs, and to delegate extensive authority to ACMA and departmental staff. Mechanically, this expands the Bill from a single new universal‑coverage obligation into a standing regulatory framework for mobile services with significant ministerial discretion and sector‑wide reach."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple new defined concepts added (UOMO, DMTS, MTS, PUOMP, GAOMCA, outdoor mobile coverage area) spread across new and amended sections","Broad ministerial rule‑making powers via disallowable legislative instruments (standards, benchmarks, rules) in multiple places (proposed ss.12Q–12T; ss.125B–125E)","Ability to split obligations by provider, geography and service type (proposed s.12G) creating conditional application logic","Open‑ended catch‑alls in standards powers (e.g. ability to prescribe \"any other matter concerning accessibility\")","Delegation architecture replacing s.73 and adding s.73A plus proposed s.125F — delegation to ACMA and departmental SES staff with requirement to follow Minister’s written directions","Cross‑references to existing Acts and instruments (Telecommunications Act 1997 definitions, PITSSA funding, Competition and Consumer Act 2010 for consequential amendments)","Ambiguous threshold terms left to later instruments (\"reasonably available\", \"equitable basis\"), increasing interpretive complexity","Preset start date with multiple postponement options and instrument‑driven commencement (proposed s.12M) creating time‑conditional logic","New Part 5A for general mobile standards (not in exposure draft) expands scope and adds parallel regulatory tracks (UOMO vs general MTS rules)","Interplay with technical constraints (spectrum allocation, LEOSat vs IMT delivery modes) that will require technical policy decisions outside the Bill"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this bill changes (mechanics first)\n\n- Creates a new Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) in the Telecommunications (Consumer Protection and Service Standards) Act 1999. The UOMO requires designated providers to make certain mobile services (initially voice calls and SMS) \"reasonably available\" outdoors across Australia on an \"equitable basis\". (proposed new Division 2A, esp. ss.12F–12T)\n- Names three default primary providers who start with the obligation: Telstra, Optus Mobile and TPG (the three national MNOs). The Minister may add or change providers by legislative instrument and may assign different obligations to different providers or areas. (proposed ss.12J–12L, 12G)\n- Leaves the detailed rules to the Minister by allowing standards, minimum performance benchmarks and rules to be made by disallowable legislative instruments. These can cover technical standards, areas to be covered, pricing and terms of supply, and what counts as \"reasonably available\" or \"equitable\". (proposed ss.12Q–12T)\n- Provides a default start date for the UOMO (1 December 2027) but lets the Minister bring it forward or postpone it (postponement limited to three 12‑month periods). (proposed s.12M)\n- Adds broader ministerial powers (Part 5A) to set standards, benchmarks and rules for mobile telecommunications services (MTS) generally — so regulation can be applied to carriers and carriage service providers before and outside the specific UOMO obligations. (proposed ss.125B–125E)\n- Allows the Minister to delegate these new powers to ACMA and to senior departmental staff; ACMA must follow the Minister’s written directions when exercising delegated powers. (replacement s.73 and new s.73A / proposed s.125F)\n- Funds for UOMO measures will come from the existing Public Interest Telecommunications Services Special Account (PITSSA), which mixes government appropriations and levy receipts (Telecommunications Industry Levy). (amendment to funding provisions)\n\nWho this affects\n\n- Primary mobile network operators (PUOMPs): initially Telstra, Optus Mobile and TPG. They will face obligations to extend or arrange outdoor voice/SMS coverage to areas determined under the UOMO. (proposed ss.12J–12L)\n- Other carriers and carriage service providers (CSPs): may be subject to broader mobile standards and rules under Part 5A (proposed ss.125B–125E).\n- LEOSat/D2D providers (satellite operators and their handset technologies): likely suppliers of much of the new coverage; PUOMPs will rely on them commercially but the Bill does not make LEOSat operators subject to UOMO obligations.\n- MVNOs and retail service resellers: not designated PUOMPs; their customers may be affected by retail decisions (price, product design) but the Bill does not require wholesale access changes.\n- Consumers in regional, rural and remote areas and First Nations communities: the statutory objective is to make voice and SMS reasonably available outdoors on an equitable basis, but outcomes will depend on standards, pricing and technology choices.\n\nWhy it matters (official purpose, then practical trade‑offs)\n\n- Official purpose stated: to make baseline mobile voice and SMS coverage reasonably available outdoors across Australia, using a technology‑neutral approach (including low earth orbit satellites and direct‑to‑device satellite delivery). The Minister is given flexible powers to set where, how and by whom that baseline is delivered. (EM and proposed Division 2A)\n\n- Practical trade‑offs and implementation issues:\n  - Funding and who pays: the Bill relies on PITSSA (a mix of budget appropriations and the industry levy). If costs exceed existing PITSSA allocations, the industry levy or budget funding will need to rise — the Bill does not include a public cost estimate. (EM and amendments to funding provisions)\n  - Price risk and bargaining asymmetry: the Minister can set standards that include retail terms (including price) for PUOMPs (proposed s.12Q). PUOMPs will likely depend on foreign LEOSat operators for capacity; if upstream wholesale prices are high, PUOMPs may be forced into unfavourable commercial positions or need subsidies. The Bill does not make LEOSat operators subject to the UOMO. (proposed s.12Q; stakeholder submissions)\n  - Ambiguity and enforcement: key phrases — \"reasonably available\" and \"on an equitable basis\" — are not clearly defined in the Bill and are left to Ministerial instruments. That creates legal and compliance uncertainty for providers and for consumers seeking enforceable rights. (proposed s.12F and related powers)\n  - Technical and spectrum constraints: D2D and LEOSat delivery use limited spectrum and current D2D options mostly support SMS rather than reliable voice; the Bill excludes indoor, in‑vehicle and underground coverage by definition, limiting practical coverage. Changes to spectrum policy or technology will be required for some services. (definition of \"outdoors\" at proposed s.5/8D and EM)\n  - Emergency calls and resilience: current D2D services mainly support SMS, whereas Australia’s Triple‑Zero emergency service requires voice. The Bill does not itself create a text‑to‑000 mechanism; it relies on existing emergency call rules but practical compatibility and resilience (roaming, camp‑on arrangements, redundancy) will depend on later standards and commercial arrangements. (EM; stakeholder submissions)\n  - Competition and market effects: the UOMO imposes obligations on three large MNOs (by default) and gives the Minister power to assign coverage areas and different obligations to different providers. That concentrates regulatory cost on those firms, could affect wholesale bargaining and downstream retail pricing, and may leave MVNOs outside the direct scope of obligations. (proposed ss.12J–12L; Part 5A)\n  - Delegation and ministerial discretion: the Bill gives broad rule‑making power to the Minister via disallowable instruments and allows extensive delegation to ACMA and Department staff; instruments can contain detailed operational requirements and catch‑all provisions. That speeds regulatory responsiveness but increases executive discretion and reliance on future instrument design.\n\nWho decides, who pays, and what behaviour will change (plain statements)\n\n- Who decides: the Minister makes detailed coverage, standards and pricing decisions using disallowable legislative instruments; ACMA and senior departmental staff may exercise delegated powers but must follow the Minister’s written directions. (proposed ss.12G, 12Q–12T; replacement s.73 / new s.73A; proposed ss.125B–125F)\n- Who pays: initial funding is drawn from PITSSA (Telecommunications Industry Levy and appropriations). If PITSSA funds are insufficient, the industry levy or Commonwealth budget funding must increase or PUOMPs will need to absorb costs. (amendments to funding provisions; EM)\n- Behaviour changes required: designated PUOMPs must provide or arrange outdoor voice and SMS coverage as defined by the Minister; they may need to procure LEOSat/D2D capacity, modify retail terms (possibly under ministerial standards), and comply with newly prescribed performance benchmarks and rules. Consumers in affected areas may need new, compatible handsets or plans to access D2D/LEOSat services.\n\nBottom line (analyst’s lens, restrained)\n\n- Mechanically this Bill creates a flexible, minister‑driven regulatory regime to require national mobile providers to supply basic outdoor voice and SMS across Australia, and it creates standing powers to set standards and rules across the mobile sector. The measure shifts much of the detailed design and enforcement into future ministerial instruments.\n- That flexibility lets the government adjust as satellite and D2D markets evolve, but it also concentrates discretion in the executive, leaves core terms (\"reasonably available\", \"equitable\") open to instrument‑level definition, and exposes PUOMPs to upstream commercial risk from a small set of LEOSat suppliers. Funding and price transmission are unresolved and could mean levy increases, budget support or commercial strain on the designated providers.\n"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025","history":"/api/acts/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/telecommunications-legislation-amendment-universal-outdoor-mobile-obligation-bill-2025/documents"}}