People living in regional and rural Australia may soon have access to an additional way to stay connected during major natural disasters, thanks to Telstra’s new Temporary Disaster Roaming (TDR) capability.
Designed for use during significant events such as bushfires, floods and cyclones, Temporary Disaster Roaming can help keep people connected when their usual mobile network is disrupted and another participating network remains available in the area.
When activated, compatible mobile phones may automatically connect to an available network, allowing users to:
Make and receive phone calls
Send and receive text messages
Access limited data services, including weather updates, emergency information, maps and messaging apps such as WhatsApp
The service is intended as a temporary measure during the critical stages of a natural disaster and may be activated in eligible regional and rural areas where technical and operational conditions allow. Metropolitan areas are excluded.
Importantly, Australians can already call Triple Zero (000) from any available mobile network in an emergency, regardless of whether Temporary Disaster Roaming is activated.
For regional communities across the Riverina and other rural areas, this initiative provides an additional layer of connectivity during times when staying informed and in touch is most important.
