{"id":"F2025L01537","name":"Telecommunications (Mobile Network Coverage Maps) Direction 2025","slug":"telecommunications-mobile-network-coverage-maps-direction-2025","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":443073,"registerId":"F2025L01537-fast-fetch-1775957979646","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Telecommunications (Mobile Network Coverage Maps) Direction 2025","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)   \n\n \n\nTelecommunications (Mobile Network Coverage Maps) Direction 2025\n\nI, Anika Wells, Minister for Communications, make the following direction.\n\nDated 8 December 2025  \n\nAnika Wells\n\nMinister for Communications\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Direction to the ACMA\n\n6  Application of the standard and other matters\n\n7  Objectives of the standard\n\n \n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Telecommunications (Mobile Network Coverage Maps) Direction 2025.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n  This instrument commences the day after this instrument is registered.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under subsection 125AA(4) of the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 7 of the Act, including the following:\n\n(a) ACMA;\n\n(b) carrier;\n\n(c) carriage service;\n\n(d) carriage service provider;\n\n(e) customer equipment; and\n\n(f)    telecommunications network.\n\n \n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Telecommunications Act 1997.\n\nNational Audit of Mobile Coverage means the Australian Government initiative, conducted by Accenture Australia, which is independently measuring and mapping the real-world, actual experience of mobile phone coverage and performance across regional and rural Australia.\n\nRelevant Mobile Telecommunications Service means a service (other than a           wi-fi service):\n\n1.     where an end-user can use a carriage service while moving continuously\n\n\nbetween places; and\n\n1.     where the customer equipment used for or in relation to the supply of the\n\n\nservice:\n\n1.                   is not in physical contact with any part of the telecommunications network by means of which the service is supplied; and\n2.                is not a smart device (for example, smart watch);\n\n\n1.     that enables an end-user to either:\n\n\n(i)   communicate with other end-users either by means of voice calls or short message service; or\n\n(ii)  send and receive data and accessing the internet;\n\n1.     that is supplied to the public.\n\n\n5  Direction to the ACMA\n\n1.     I direct the ACMA to determine a standard under subsection 125AA(1) of the Act that gives effect to the objectives set out in section 7 of this instrument.\n2.     The standard is to:\n\n\n1.     be determined no later than 31 March 2026; and\n2.     commence in full at the earliest opportunity and by no later than 30 June 2026.\n\n\n1.     I direct that the ACMA may vary the standard as it considers necessary from time to time, provided that the standard as varied complies with subsection 5(1) and section 6 of this instrument.\n2.     In determining the standard, the ACMA may define any terms that it considers appropriate or necessary, including terms used in this instrument but not defined in section 4 of this instrument or in the Act.\n\n\n6  Application of the standard and other matters\n\n1.     The standard is to apply, as relevant, to carriers and carriage service providers who supply Relevant Mobile Telecommunications Services.\n2.    The standard may:\n\n\n1.     deal with matters differently for different classes of carriers and carriage service providers; or\n2.    exempt certain classes of carriers or carriage service providers from particular provisions of the standard.\n\n\n7  Objectives of the standard\n\n1.    The standard is to be drafted to give effect to the following objectives, as they relate to how carriers and carriage service providers represent to the public, their customers and prospective customers, network coverage information of the Relevant Mobile Telecommunications Services which they supply (or offer to supply):\n\n\n1.     that mobile coverage maps are prepared and published in a manner that is comparable, including standardisation of approaches to the extent necessary to ensure meaningful comparability;\n2.    that mobile coverage maps are prepared and published in a manner that provides clear, up-to-date and useful information about the service that can reasonably be expected in a given geographical area, and which, to the extent technically and practicably appropriate, incorporates or reflects any or all of the following matters:\n\n\n \n\n1.             appropriate modelling methodologies and assumptions so there is a reasonable likelihood they represent on-ground experience;\n2.             a standardised approach to service metrics (which may include for example, representing signal strength, reliability, and quality);\n3.             the visual representation of reasonably expected service levels accompanied by plain language descriptions of indicative end-user activities at each level in a given geographical location;\n4.             compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, any replacement guidelines or other best practice regarding accessibility;\n5.             the provision of information that explains methodologies, assumptions and any limitations around the accuracy of the maps including coverage depiction (for example, regarding indoor coverage, expected coverage for users inside moving vehicles, geographical areas prone to congestion, or known blackspots that conflict with predicted coverage displayed);\n6.             capability for enabling data contained in published mobile coverage maps to be extracted by other organisations (such as emergency services organisations) for analytical purposes; and\n7.             any other matter that improves the comparability, clarity, and utility of mobile coverage maps; and\n\n\n1.     mobile coverage maps capture information required under subparagraph 7(1)(b)(iii) for different network technologies or technology platforms (for example, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite Direct to Device) used by the carrier or carriage service provider to supply the Relevant Mobile Telecommunications Services.\n\n\n1.     In developing the standard, the ACMA must have regard to all available findings of the National Audit of Mobile Coverage.\n\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":7,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Direction does not itself expand which entities are regulated under the Act; it instructs ACMA to make a standard that will apply to carriers and carriage service providers of Relevant Mobile Telecommunications Services and allows ACMA to vary or exempt classes (s5, s6, s7). It therefore alters implementation detail (how coverage is represented) rather than the statutory scope of regulated providers under the Act."},"complexity_factors":["Delegation of detailed rule‑making to ACMA with broad power to define terms and vary the standard (s5)","Multiple technical requirements for modelling, standardised metrics, visualisation and accessibility (s7(1)(b)(i)–(iv))","Obligation to cover different network technologies/platforms (including LEO/direct‑to‑device) increases technical scope (s7(1)(c))","Requirement to have regard to findings of an external National Audit (Accenture) creating dependence on external data and methodologies (s7(3))","Permitted differential treatment or exemptions for classes of carriers/providers introduces complexity in application and compliance monitoring (s6)","Data‑extractability requirement (for emergency services and analytics) raises interoperability, privacy and format issues (s7(1)(b)(vi))","Fixed timing/deadlines for ACMA to determine and for the standard to commence impose administrative urgency (s5(2))","Key terms are defined partly by reference to the Act and partly in the instrument, requiring cross‑reference and interpretation (s4)","No detailed enforcement or penalty regime set in the Direction itself — monitoring and sanctions depend on the eventual standard and existing Act provisions (implicit gap)"],"plain_english_summary":"This Direction requires the ACMA to make a binding standard for how carriers and carriage service providers publish mobile network coverage maps for \"Relevant Mobile Telecommunications Services\" (s5, s6, s7). Carriers pay compliance costs: they must produce comparable, accessible maps, disclose methodologies and limitations, enable data extraction and cover different technologies; ACMA sets technical definitions, deadlines and may vary or exempt classes (s5–s7)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a new instrument (2025) with a focused, discrete purpose: directing ACMA to create coverage map standards. It does not represent scope creep from an original intent — it establishes the original intent. The scope is appropriately bounded to mobile telecommunications coverage representation, with specific carve-outs for Wi-Fi and smart devices."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate definitional complexity: 6 defined terms in section 4, plus reliance on 6 additional undefined terms from the parent Act (section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1997)","Nested definitional structure: 'Relevant Mobile Telecommunications Service' contains 4 hierarchical criteria with sub-sub-paragraphs (i)-(ii) under criterion 3","Conditional exemptions: Section 6(2) permits differential treatment and exemptions for 'classes' of providers, creating discretionary flexibility","Cross-referencing to external standards: Incorporates WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) by reference, plus 'any replacement guidelines'","Legislative nesting: Direction made under subsection 125AA(4) of the Telecommunications Act 1997, directing ACMA to make a standard under subsection 125AA(1) — a direction-about-a-power structure","Temporal conditionality: Multiple deadline constraints (determination by 31 March 2026, commencement by 30 June 2026) with 'earliest opportunity' flexibility","Open-ended objectives: Section 7(1)(b)(vii) includes catch-all 'any other matter' improving comparability, clarity and utility"],"plain_english_summary":"This ministerial direction requires ACMA to make a legally binding standard by March 31, 2026 (effective by June 30, 2026) forcing telcos and service providers to publish clearer, comparable and truthful mobile coverage maps. It affects carriers, retail providers and consumers—especially in regional and rural Australia.\n\nThe rules must make coverage expectations understandable in plain English, accessible, and transparent about methods and limits (including new satellite-to-phone services), so people and emergency planners can trust and compare real-world service availability."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/telecommunications-mobile-network-coverage-maps-direction-2025","history":"/api/acts/telecommunications-mobile-network-coverage-maps-direction-2025/history","analysis":"/api/acts/telecommunications-mobile-network-coverage-maps-direction-2025/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/telecommunications-mobile-network-coverage-maps-direction-2025/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/telecommunications-mobile-network-coverage-maps-direction-2025/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/telecommunications-mobile-network-coverage-maps-direction-2025/documents"}}