Current Grant Opportunity View - GO7279

The Australian Government is providing $20 million (GST exclusive) for Round 3 of the Mobile Network Hardening Program (the Program) to strengthen the resilience of mobile network communications in regional, remote and peri-urban Australia.

The Program provides co-funding to Mobile Network Operators, Mobile Network Infrastructure Providers and Network Management Providers to increase the resilience of mobile telecommunications infrastructure to assist communities during and after a natural disaster or emergency. Round 3 is funding projects located in areas impacted by, or at risk of a natural disaster of the Program, and located in regional and remote Australia and the peri-urban fringe of 19 capital and major regional cities.

Round 3 funding will be delivered in two streams:

• a $10 million (GST exclusive) ‘Regional and Remote Australia’ stream for projects that deliver Resilience Upgrades in regional, remote and very remote Australia; and
• a $10 million (GST exclusive) ‘Peri-Urban Fringe’ stream for projects that deliver Resilience Upgrades in the peri-urban fringe of capital and major regional cities.

Round 3 of the Program is funded from the Government’s Better Connectivity Plan for Regional and Rural Australia. 

To be eligible to apply for funding under Round 3 of the Program, you must have an Australian Business Number (ABN), and be a Mobile Network Operator (MNO), Mobile Network Infrastructure Provider (MNIP) or Network Management Provider (NMP). For the purposes of the Program:

• an MNO means a company that supplies a public mobile telecommunications service within the meaning of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) and holds an apparatus or a spectrum licence (or both) for the supply of public mobile telecommunications services under the Radiocommunications Act 1992 (Cth);
• an MNIP means a company that provides communications infrastructure in Australia that supports the provision of public mobile telecommunications services in regional and remote Australia or the peri-urban fringe of capital and major regional cities and is used by one or more MNOs; and
• an NMP means a company that is contracted by an MNO to assist with the management and maintenance of its network. Applications from NMPs must be accompanied by written support from the MNO for the proposed Resilience Upgrade.

Guidelines released and applications open - Friday, 25 October 2024

Applications close - 17:00 AEDT Friday, 20 December 2024

Assessment of applications - Approximately 8 weeks

Approval of outcomes of selection process - 4 weeks [following the completion of assessment of applications]

Negotiations and award of grant agreements- Expected from Quarter 2 of 2025

Earliest start date of Grant Activity- On Execution of the Grant Agreement

End date of Grant Activity - As included in the Grant Agreement and by 30 June 2027

$20,000,000.00

Applications must be submitted by Friday, 20 December 2024.

Applications must be lodged in accordance with Section 7 of the Grant Opportunity Guidelines (the Guidelines).

To increase the reach of the Program, applicants are encouraged to seek co-contributions from state, territory or local governments, and/or other third parties.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to engage with state, territory and local governments to:

• identify areas impacted by, or at risk of, a Natural Disaster and confirm whether the project(s) is located in these areas; and
• discuss willingness to provide a financial contribution and/or written endorsement of the project.

A Project Noticeboard allows local councils and State, Territory or Federal Parliamentarians to provide advice on potential projects or locations, with telco industry applicants encouraged to review project submissions when preparing their applications. The Project Noticeboard is available via the department’s website at www.infrastructure.gov.au/mnhp.