$20 million available to improve mobile connectivity in bushfire prone areas along the peri-urban fringes of Australia's major cities.
The second round of the Peri-Urban Mobile Program (PUMP) will provide grant funding to Mobile Network Operators (MNO) and Mobile Network Infrastructure Providers to deliver new or upgraded mobile phone infrastructure that targets longstanding mobile coverage and reception issues facing peri-urban communities.
The peri-urban fringe is where the bush meets the suburbs, creating bushfire and natural disaster risks for those living and working in these areas. Communities in these areas have generally been underserved because of the high cost of deploying infrastructure, difficult terrain, planning challenges and lower population densities.
A Project Noticeboard has been established so that local councils and community groups can identify mobile coverage and quality of service issues to assist applicants develop new infrastructure proposals for the round.
Local councils and community groups are invited to upload their project proposals to the Project Noticeboard which will be open until applications for Round 2 close.
The eligible areas under the round include the major capital cities and have been expanded to now include the following major regional cities across Australia: Ballarat, Bendigo, Cairns, Canberra/Queanbeyan, Central Coast, Darwin, Geelong, Gold Coast/Tweed Heads, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and Wollongong.
PUMP complements other Australian Government programs to increase telecommunications and broadcasting resilience across Australia, including the $20 million Broadcasting Resilience Program to safeguard ABC broadcast towers and the $15 million Mobile Network Hardening Program.
Applications close on 11 March 2024. To apply, visit grants.gov.au .