The Federal Government is spending $220 million in subsidies to Optus and Telstra at more than 850 regional and remote sites across Australia.
Towns such as Kalumburu, in regional Western Australia, have offered to accept the telecom roll-out and this will see mobile phone coverage in place of the town’s two public phone boxes.
Opinions in the community are mixed, with some residents saying it will improve daily life and connection and others suggesting children may become too focused on social media and texting.
Despite this, many other regional towns have declined the offer and insisted everything is fine the way it is.