Australia is ramping up its national policy initiatives with significant announcements aimed at improving mobile coverage and modernizing its payment systems. Ahead of the upcoming federal election, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland unveiled Labor's ambitious Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO), which is set to transform the way Australians connect, especially in regional and rural areas.
The UOMO proposal mandates mobile providers to significantly expand outdoor mobile access across the country, covering areas previously labeled as coverage black spots. If approved, this initiative will add approximately five million square kilometers of outdoor mobile coverage, enhancing access across regional parks, hiking trails, and more. Crucially, it aims to improve phone reception over 37,000 kilometers of regional and rural roads, addressing some of the most significant connectivity challenges faced by Australians.
Specific areas set to benefit include the Northern Territory and Queensland, where over one million square kilometers of additional coverage is projected. The plan also focuses on enhancing connectivity on major highways such as New South Wales' Barrier Highway and Western Australia's Great Northern Highway, ensuring safer travel and communication.
Rowland emphasizes the safety aspect of the UOMO, noting its necessity for effective emergency response. "The Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation will improve public safety, increase resilience during natural disasters, and provide an extra layer of coverage in areas previously thought too difficult or costly to reach," she stated. Currently, about 78 percent of calls to Australia’s emergency services originate from mobile phones, highlighting the urgent need for reliable mobile connectivity.
The UOMO is not just about bridging gaps but also about leveraging cutting-edge technologies. The proposal aims to utilize innovations such as low earth orbit satellites (LEOSats) and direct-to-device (D2D) technology, enabling signals to reach mobile devices directly from space. This approach promises transformative benefits for communication across Australia's vast landscapes.
Besides mobile coverage, Rowland revealed the government’s commitment to modernizing Australia’s payment ecosystem. The country’s New Payments Platform (NPP) has been engineered from the ground up to meet contemporary financial needs, as explained by Jon Adams of NAB. Unlike real-time payment systems adapted from existing infrastructures overseas, Australia’s NPP was built to support modern transactions and includes features for fast transaction speeds and real-time fraud detection.
Adams remarked, "The NPP wasn’t just an enhancement of old infrastructure—it was a complete rebuild, [...] from day one. That’s something you don’t see in many other markets.” This foundational strength gives Australia a competitive edge as it shifts its financial habits toward debit rather than credit, with expectations for contactless payments to account for 95 percent of in-person purchases going forward.
The Australian scenario starkly contrasts with innovations seen in countries like India and China, which have often leapfrogged traditional banking systems. India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) took its largely cash-based economy straight to real-time digital transactions, and China has widely adopted QR code-based payments.
Australia's advancements come primarily through evolution rather than revolution. The introduction of the PayTo solution in July 2022 marked the next step toward real-time debit payments, providing users with instant alternatives to traditional direct debits, all within Australia’s mature digital payments ecosystem.
Adrian Lovney, chief payments and schemes officer at Australian Payments Plus, pointed out the significant change on the international front too, stating, "The big shift is inbound international payments can now be processed 24/7, regardless of time zones.” Previously, cross-border payments often faced delays during weekends and holidays, but the innovative system allows for speedy transactions, transforming global commerce.
Businesses integrating real-time payments for payroll, supplier payments, and refunds are contributing to this cultural shift toward instant transactions becoming the norm. With merchants seeking alternatives to credit cards, A2A (account-to-account) payments are swiftly filling the gap. Banked, a global payments company, is at the forefront of this transition, helping facilitate more efficient, secure payment processes for Australian businesses.
Brad Goodall, CEO of Banked, reiterated Australia’s pivotal role on the global stage, noting, "Australia is often where global brands pilot payment innovations before taking them to the US or Europe.” With deadlines for traditional payment systems phasing out by 2029, the push for real-time payments is expected to deepen.
Looking to the future, Adams remarked about the necessity of merchant adoption and consumer trust to navigate this new payments industry. He added, "Australia’s payments system is already world-class. But the next few years will see it take another leap forward.” Innovations such as the confirmation of payee, scheduled for launch later in 2025, will fortify security by ensuring funds go exactly where intended, thereby reducing fraud attempts.
With initiatives like UOMO and progressive financial policies, Australia is positioning itself strongly on both fronts—mobile connectivity and payment modernization—setting the stage for greater accessibility, safety, and efficiency across the nation.