Story of the Week

The story of the week is from CommsDay of Friday 16 January 2026, and picks up on BRRR's comments about small cell LEOsat service performance in rural areas.  Kristy Sparrow of BRRR conducted a webinar for TelSoc members and colleagues in November 2025.  TelSoc has engaged with Kristy and BRRR on rural, regional and remote telecommunications issues over many years.  TelSoc has for a long time aimed to keep the focus of attention on such issues and to facilitate discussion, understanding and progress in their resolution.

BIRRR says satellite backhaul issues behind Telstra remote small cell outages well known

Better Internet for Rural, Regional and Remote Australia has criticised Telstra over the performance of mobile small cells using LEOsat backhaul, saying the issues now being report- ed publicly had been raised repeatedly with the carrier throughout 2025.

The comments followed an ITnews article published this week which linked an increase in reported Telstra network outages to the carrier’s use of satellite backhaul at mobile sites in remote areas.

The advocacy group said concerns around the reliability and capacity of Telstra’s small cell services were well known to affected communities and had been escalated directly with Telstra in March, April, May, August, September and October last year.

BIRRR said those representations included at least one instance involving a reported failure of Triple Zero calling.

BIRRR spokesperson Kristy Sparrow said it was disappointing that Telstra had not been more open with consumers and communities who depend on the services, despite being aware of ongoing problems. She said BIRRR members relying on Telstra mobile small cells were experiencing repeated call drop-outs and degraded voice quality rather than short or isolated outages.
“In many of these locations it is extremely difϐicult to maintain a continuous phone conversation,” Sparrow said. She said Telstra’s explanations that outages were limited to deϐined daily windows did not reϐlect the experience being reported on the ground.

Telstra said it was the first Australian carrier to deploy LEOsat backhaul for mobile small cell base stations, using services from OneWeb, with the rollout commencing in early 2024. A Telstra spokesperson said the technology had performed well “for the most part” but acknowledged that some customers had not had the experience they expected.

The spokesperson said Telstra continued to engage with customers and community groups about voice calling issues and pointed to an announcement this week by OneWeb’s parent company, Eutelsat, which has ordered a further 340 LEOsats from Airbus Defence and Space. Combined with a prior order for 100 satellites placed in December 2024, the procurement will lift the total number of new satellites ordered to as many as 440, with deliveries from late 2026.

Telstra said the new satellites would help ensure continuity of service for customers as earlier spacecraft reach the end of their operational life, while incorporating technology upgrades to improve efficiency and flexibility.
The carrier said the small cell sites using LEO satellite backhaul were located in very remote parts of the country that were challenging to access and service, and that in many of those locations it was the only provider attempting to deliver mobile connectivity. Telstra said it remained committed to investing in new technologies and services to support people living and working in regional and remote Australia.
                                                                                                                                                                                            Grahame Lynch

IN TODAY'S COMMSDAY

SpaceX is the first satellite operator to benefit from interim arrangements allowing access to W-band spectrum for earth stations, in a move that will support the upcoming Starlink V3 system that the company has claimed will set a new standard for satellite broadband.

A third of Australian consumers would be willing to pay a premium for guaranteed 5G mobile network performance during key moments, research from Ericsson indicates.

The Australian Defence Force has extended its contract with SES to cover the delivery of secure satellite communications services for at least the next six years. 

Better Internet for Rural, Regional and Remote Australia has criticised Telstra over the performance of mobile small cells using LEOsat backhaul, saying the issues now being reported publicly had been raised repeatedly with the carrier throughout 2025. 

Shervin Rafizadeh is set to take up a new role as chief of staff to Andrew Charlton, cabinet secretary and assistant minister for science, technology and the digital economy, marking a return to tech after a brief stint as attorney-general chief of staff and over eight years as a significant figure in federal communications policy. 

Submissions have closed on New Zealand's Telecommunications and Other Matters Amendment Bill 2025, with the consultation now before Parliament's Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee for consideration. 

New Zealand's major operators are collaborating on an initiative aimed at disrupting and blocking phishing websites before they can harm customers. 

UK-headquartered space company Open Cosmos has secured key spectrum rights that paves the way for the launch of a new low earth orbit constellation as early as this quarter. 

Plus more

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