Gov kicks off mobile audit process

The federal government is getting ready to fit out Australia Post vehicles to help audit the nation’s mobile telecommunications services.

The vehicles are to be fitted with mobile signal measurement technology, which will collect data as they are driven around.

The $20 million audit was funded in last October’s federal budget, and detailed at the end of the same month.

To get the process started, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts has launched a tender seeking a technical adviser for the project.

The tender provides the first in-depth look at what the audit could comprise: mobile coverage signal and capacity data, “across the widest possible range of data metrics”; signal availability and strength, including capacity, throughput, and the impact of congestion; and “knowledge of Qualcomm mobile data log files and any alternatives”.

The consulting would commence on May 15 and end in December, with two 12-month extension options possible.

The technical adviser would help the department identify service providers to deliver the audit.

“A notable feature of the Australian government's policy is that the audit will leverage Australia Post infrastructure and corporate assets and other approaches to measure mobile coverage and capacity," tender documents state.

“International experience in mobile coverage audits conducted in North America, Europe or New Zealand is of interest to the customer, especially where those audits were conducted from 2018 onwards."