Rural residents face phone connectivity challenges

Rural residents reliant on a home phone say they’re facing a price hike to stay connected after being advised their provider will no longer be offering their service. Sharon Daley, who lives in Thuddungra, reached out in a Grenfell community group Facebook page to raise the issue of her parents, based in Bimbi, receiving a letter from their internet provider IPrimus, will no longer be providing home phone service through Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) copper technology. Ms Daley said this disconnect will happen from 1 March, and she’s been trying to find an alternative for her parents’ property. They’ve been advised their best option would be to connect to the satellite services via Starlink – at approximately three times the cost per month on top of the start-up cost, she said. Ms Daley received a similar letter herself about her own phone line, and believes her parents’ case is not isolated. While this is less of an issue for Ms Daley, as they still have internet access, it is more of an issue for her parents who rely on their home phone to stay in contact with doctors and specialists. The Grenfell Record got in touch with Iprimus' parent company Vocus Group, with a Vocus spokesperson saying iPrimus will stop supplying home phone services delivered over legacy Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) copper lines from 1 March 2026. "We have made this decision to simplify the range of products we’re offering and focus investment on forward-looking technologies like broadband and mobile connectivity," the spokesperson said. "The transition away from copper‑based services has been underway nationally for more than a decade, alongside the rollout of the NBN. While our change aligns with that broader shift, we are not switching off copper lines – just withdrawing iPrimus phone services over those lines." The Vocus spokesperson said customers who would like to keep using a PSTN‑based home phone can transfer their service to another provider that continues to offer services over that technology. "Telstra continues to provide PSTN services as part of the Universal Service Obligation and there may be other competitive providers offering services too." "We’ve been contacting impacted customers directly with advance notice and information about their options, including how to move to another provider if they would like to keep a PSTN landline service," Vocus' spokesperson said. Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said the Government needs to step up and help the communities affected by this decision and, if it can’t fix it, it needs to front up to these communities to provide an explanation. “Access to affordable and reliable phone services is vital for regional, rural and remote communities – not only for businesses but for necessary social connection. The tyranny of distance in our communities only makes this more important," Mr McCormack said. “The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) copper network should remain switched on until regional, rural and remote communities have access to an affordable and reliable phone service alternative.” A Telstra spokesperson said Telstra provides wholesale services to Retail Service Providers (RSPs) who then offer those home phones services to their end customers. Generally speaking, Telstra operates the underlying copper line network and RSPs are purchasing a resale service from Telstra Wholesale and then on-selling that service to their end users. From time to time, individual RSPs decide to exit this market and this impacts the services offered to those end users The choice of an RSP to exit the market for home phone services has no bearing on Telstra or our retail service offerings Where copper is available, Telstra continues to offer retail home phone services. They also offer home phone services on a range of other technologies, including NBN accesses, satellite and 4G Fixed Wireless Telstra's spokesperson said in the case of an end user who was previously served by an RSP which no longer offers home phone services, they can approach Telstra. "Telstra offers home phone services throughout Australia - including on copper, NBN access, 4G Fixed Wireless and Satellite. Even in the most remote areas, and outside of mobile coverage, we can offer satellite-based home phone services. "There is no difference in cost the customer, irrespective of how remote they live or the technology required to keep them connected," Telstra's spokesperson said. For those looking at the rollout of nbn coverage across the region, a range of nbn technology options are available to homes and businesses across the Central West, including the Weddin region. Within Grenfell, around 1,200 premises have access to nbn’s fixed line Fibre to the Node (FTTN) technology, and within the coming years as nbn rolls out full fibre upgrades across the country, unlocking faster speeds, improved reliability and connectivity. Outside of Grenfell town centre, homes and businesses across Weddin can also now benefit from nationwide upgrades delivering access to faster network speeds on their nbn Fixed Wireless connection, and the introduction of the fastest wholesale speeds ever offered on the nbn Fixed Wireless network. Later this year, over 200 homes and businesses are also expected to benefit from an expansion of nbn’s fixed wireless coverage as nbn works with the NSW Government and local council to install new nbn Fixed Wireless equipment on an existing tower outside of Grenfell. Around 800 premises are in within the nbn satellite footprint, which currently offers access to a range of uncapped data plans for all internet activities and in the future, nbn will be offering low-earth orbit satellite services powered by Amazon Leo technology. All nbn services can support telephone services by enabling Wi-Fi calling on your mobile phone, and accessing data through an nbn-powered internet connection. nbn provides access to their underlying wholesale infrastructure to retail service providers who then deliver broadband services to their customers. By working together with providers, communities and governments, they aim to improve connectivity across regional Australia. People are encouraged to check their address on the nbn website to see what technology is available to them online at nbn.com.au/check