Optus Is Spending $1 Billion On Regional Mobile Coverage

These days, Optus seems to spend most of its money on content deals — but it’s also investing in network infrastructure for the people that need it the most. Optus will build 500 new mobile sites out across rural regional parts of Australia, will upgrade 1800 sites from 3G to 4G, and will boost existing sites with better 4G and small cell satellite coverage at a cost of $1 billion — the largest regional investment in its 25 year history as a company.

It’s not immediately clear how much of this funding comes directly from Optus and how much comes from government grants. Of the 500 mobile sites, 114 will be constructed under the Federal Government’s Mobile Blackspots Program

By June next year — if this rollout goes according to plan — Optus will have upgraded 1800 regional towers in its network footprint. That’s good news for the 2.8 million Australians in those areas with better Optus coverage, a number which will jump by a million in the next year as this billion bucks is put to good use.

Here’s an infographic from Optus detailing its achievements so far and goals for the future:


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