(MENAFN- The Conversation) Australians rely on their phones and the internet for education, business, socialising and in emergencies. And as Optus' recent Triple Zero outage highlights, the consequences of a network outage can be fatal.

But the problems go beyond Triple Zero. The latest annual report from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, released earlier this week, shows a spike in complaints about network connection issues compared to last financial year. For example, there was a nearly 70% increase in complaints about“no phone or internet service”. Complaints about“poor mobile coverage” also increased more than 25%.

When it comes to connectivity problems, we often think about remote environments such as inland cattle stations or Indigenous communities in central and far north Australia. Or how language barriers, affordability and age might impact access.

However, across various research projects looking at digital inclusion, we have found a policy blind spot, where populations residing in certain suburban and regional areas have poorer connectivity outcomes than remote areas.

These people experience ongoing problems with network connection despite living in locations that look good on paper. This could be because of local infrastructure gaps or compounding social factors. We call this group“the missing middle”.

Until now, the absence of a clearly defined category has made it difficult to capture or report on their experiences systematically.

What is 'digital inclusion'?

Digital inclusion is about ensuring all Australians, no matter who they are or where they live, have access to affordable, quality telecommunications and internet, and possess the skills necessary to benefit from these connections.

The issue is even more important as we face a changing climate, with telecommunications playing a crucial role in emergencies and during natural disasters.

Our research from 2023 on emergency preparedness with rural residents showed the importance of ongoing telecommunications connectivity – especially during emergencies.

People participate in online community forums by keeping each other informed about conditions and contacting emergency services such as Triple Zero if they need to during the disaster. Afterwards, they use the internet to apply for financial assistance online.

Of course, natural disasters do not discriminate. Recent cyclones, floods and bushfires have impacted urban areas, as well as the outer edges of cities and key regional centres.

A good location doesn't equal good connectivity

These combined forces have ensured telecommunications policies consistently focus on access. But access is just one component of Australia's connectivity needs.

Through various interviews, focus groups and fieldwork across urban, regional and rural Australia from 2021–24 we have found that location alone doesn't determine how good connectivity is.

In fact, some remote areas fare better than outer regional areas when it comes to telecommunications connectivity. This indicates geography isn't the only factor affecting people's level of digital inclusion.

Instead, compounding factors are determining whether or not people are digitally included.

For example, some people may not have enough money to afford appropriate connectivity to meet basic needs, needing two SIM cards to manage two unreliable networks. Infrastructure investment can also be patchy. A major regional town might have excellent coverage, but satellite towns could have a much poorer experience.

Urban networks can also taper off before reaching new builds on the edge of cities. Other people may have simply purchased a house amid inhospitable terrain, which can impact whether satellite internet services such as Starlink can be installed.

Dubbo is a major regional centre but suffers from poor reception. Maksym Kozlenko/Wikimedia Voices from the 'missing middle'

Experiences of 5G mobile consumers in suburban and regional Victoria we spoke with in 2024 give us some sense of this“missing middle” population.

One participant from Gippsland said:

Another participant said it was“less than ideal” that in the area between two towns“there's still patches where we don't get reception”. Echoing this, another participant said they felt it was reasonable to“expect to be able to drive from Gisborne to Kyneton [a distance of 30km] and not drop out on a phone call three times”.

These issues were not the sole preserve of those living in regional areas. Someone from a new housing development on the outskirts of Melbourne told us there was barely any mobile coverage in the area and said their phone was“just not usable”.

Dubbo is another example. While some major regional cities are well-connected, this major town in the central west of New South Wales is also part of the“missing middle”.

First Nations organisations there experienced slow and unreliable network connection. This impacted their capacity to service the area. Drops in coverage resulted in double handling of work. For example, land surveys would often need to be written by hand on site, then converted to digital forms back in a place with better connectivity.

A targeted approach

Lots of work has has been done in recent years to improve connectivity across Australia.

Since the National Broadband Network (NBN) was completed in 2020, more fixed line services - where a connection is installed in the home (like an NBN box) - have been made available in rural towns.

The federal government's flagship infrastructure projects – such as the Regional Connectivity Program and Mobile Blackspot Program – have also steadily improved digital inclusion in many locations over the last decade. Starlink and the NBN's satellite internet service SkyMuster are new entrants, providing a new connectivity option for people who live in the right locations (and can afford it).

However, current policy approaches to patching up connectivity gaps minimises the scale of the missing middle.

This is the result of several factors. First, a failure to understand the different needs of the local and visitor populations who use digital services. Second, fragmentation across telecommunications options (NBN, mobile hotspotting and Starlink). Third, a need to account for overlapping disadvantages.

We need to look beyond location or access, and develop a robust account of the“missing middle”.

Doing so requires policymakers and researchers to focus on areas with mixed and complex connectivity needs. Importantly, this kind of shift will help policymakers target the needs of these Australian telecommunication consumers.

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