This data has been sourced from the ACCC Mobile Infrastructure Report 27 November 2023

One way the MNOs estimate and illustrate mobile coverage is by producing coverage maps which indicate where their customers can expect to have mobile reception. Coverage maps are modelled on predictive coverage and therefore may not reflect the ‘on the ground’ experience for all end users. There are several factors that can impact mobile coverage including buildings, foliage/trees, bad weather, hills or mountains, the number of nearby people using the same mobile site and hardware compatibility.

The parameters that underpin these predictive coverage models differ across the MNOs. These parameters can also change across time for a given MNO. These changes could mean that increases or decreases in the measurement of coverage from year to year may not necessarily reflect changes in the predicted ‘on the ground’ experience of end users. Instead, the changes may reflect differences in parameters that underpin the modelling of the predictive coverage maps or variations in the precision/accuracy of the models. Slight fluctuations in coverage areas from year to year could also result from optimisation activities undertaken by the MNOs, such as adjusting the tilt of antennas to reduce interference. Additionally, the introduction of new versions of prediction models/tools and potential differences in rounding and aggregation can result in minor variability in coverage predictions year to year, even if there are no actual changes in coverage.

In addition, from 2018 to 2023, the MNOs have provided coverage maps based on different levels of coverage. In providing coverage maps in accordance with the RKR, the MNOs have interpreted the requirements differently. There are two types of coverage maps available:

1. Outdoor coverage – coverage and quality of reception a customer can expect when using a device outdoors with typical handheld use, based on an elevated upright standing, head height position.

2. External antenna (Ext Ant) coverage – expected coverage when a device is augmented using an external antenna or other coverage extension device that utilises an external antenna.

In general, coverage maps which are based on external antenna coverage predict wider coverage areas than coverage maps based on outdoor coverage