Key messages

• The National Broadband Network (NBN) is Australia's largest ever telecommunications infrastructure project. By every measure, the network has improved greatly since its launch, and it has achieved its major milestones. The latest NBN strategic plan commits to major further investment over the coming years. This includes improving data speeds for people with slow or inconsistent service on Fibre to the Node and Fixed Wireless technologies.

• Businesses and consumers connected to the NBN have a direct relationship with one of the many retail service providers in the broadband market. While retail providers have welcomed several steps by NBN Co to make wholesale pricing more affordable, the industry has repeatedly called for a different pricing model, moving away from the Connectivity Virtual Circuit (CVC) model (the second component of the NBN Co wholesale cost) and towards lower overall wholesale prices. Both large and small retailers in the industry cite process complexity, high wholesale costs and poor network performance as key barriers that erode profitability and customer satisfaction.

• The regional Mobile Black Spot Program has improved mobile coverage to many hundreds of communities across Australia, but there are areas in regional and remote Australia where the coverage, quality and reliability of mobile telecommunications services still need to improve. This issue requires a strategic approach by governments and industry to identify key communities, transport corridors and businesses that require the improvement of existing terrestrial mobile services or new terrestrial mobile coverage.

• Smartphones play a central role in modern life. Australians tend to embrace the latest digital and telecommunications advances and appreciate the economic and social benefits. Digital technologies will become even more important in the near future, with government services, smart wallets, employment opportunities, education and health care all requiring a smart device with a data-enabled connection.

• Despite progress, a digital divide continues to split Australia. Affordability, digital literacy, accessibility, digital device availability and other obstacles are preventing older Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, regional Australians and lower-income families from enjoying the same digital benefits as the rest of society.