The Mobile Network Hardening Program is an Australian Government initiative funding upgrades to improve the resilience of Australia's mobile network telecommunications infrastructure in regional and peri-urban Australia to:
prevent outages during a natural disaster;
strengthen the resilience of telecommunications facilities to allow them to operate for longer during natural disasters; and
support the rapid restoration of services following an outage.
Funding for the Program was provided in the Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia, which was announced in the 2022–23 Budget.
Round 3
Round 3 opened for applications on 25 October 2024, with the Grant Opportunity Guidelines, Application Form and supporting documents available on GrantConnect. Applications for co-funding are open to Mobile Network Operators, Mobile Network Infrastructure Providers and Network Management Providers.
Applications must be lodged by Friday 20 December 2024 (5:00pm AEDT).
Applications must be submitted in accordance with the Guidelines. Applicants are encouraged to review the Round 3 Project Noticeboard proposals (see below) when preparing their applications. You should also review the Guidelines and complete the Application Form, including providing the requested supporting documents.
The Government is providing up to $20 million (GST exclusive) for Round 3, which will fund mobile telecommunications Resilience Upgrades in areas impacted by, or at risk of, Natural Disasters in:
regional and remote Australia, and
the peri-urban fringe of 19 capital and major regional cities.
The focus on areas impacted by, or at risk of, Natural Disasters reflects the increasing exposure of many regions to these events, and the need for communities to access resilient mobile communications services during and after these events.
The peri-urban fringe is where the bush meets the edges of the suburbs, creating risks of Natural Disasters for those living and working in these areas. Expansion of Round 3 to include peri-urban areas ensures these communities will also have access to resilient mobile communications services during and after Natural Disasters.
Round 3 will be delivered in two streams:
a $10 million (GST exclusive) ‘Regional and Remote Australia’ stream for projects that deliver Resilience Upgrades in regional, remote and very remote Australia, including First Nations communities; and
a $10 million (GST exclusive) ‘Peri-Urban Fringe’ stream for projects that deliver Resilience Upgrades in the peri-urban fringe of 19 capital and major regional cities (consistent with Round 2 of the Peri-Urban Mobile Program).
Eligible areas for the two streams are shown on the Round 3 - Eligibility Map.
Project Noticeboard
A Project Noticeboard for Round 3 is available for local governments and state, territory and federal parliamentarians to identify potential projects or locations which would benefit from a Resilience Upgrade.
Industry applicants are encouraged to consider the proposed projects and locations on the Project Noticeboard when developing their applications.
It is important to note that posting on the Project Noticeboard does not guarantee that an application for funding for a project, or a project in the nominated location, will be submitted, or that funding will be allocated to the proposed project or location. However, it can help communities advise the industry of risks in regional and peri-urban Australia, and demonstrate support for new proposals.
The Round 3 Project Noticeboard will close on 20 December 2024, allowing applicants time to consider advice provided through the Noticeboard.