More regional communities across Australia will benefit from improved digital connectivity, with the Australian Government confirming its commitment to fund Round 2 of the Regional Connectivity Program (RCP).
The RCP targets investment in telecommunications projects that respond to local priorities and maximise economic and social benefits for regional, rural and remote communities and businesses.
Under Round 2 of the Program, 93 projects will share in $137 million of Commonwealth funding for place-based telecommunications infrastructure projects. This includes $69 million of dedicated funding for 34 projects in Northern Australia under the Connecting Northern Australia initiative.
Round 2 of the Program aims to bring more place-based solutions to help address regional and remote digital connectivity issues, including First Nations communities.
The Australian Government has invested a total of approximately $253 million in the Program, including the $116 million committed under Round 1 for 130 place-based telecommunications projects.
Funding has been allocated under Round 2 of the Program on a competitive basis, with funded projects ranging from targeted mobile and fixed wireless projects in small towns, to the deployment of large-scale broadband networks across entire regions.
The Australian Government’s Better Connectivity Plan (BCP) will provide further needed investment to improve communication services in regional, rural and remote areas, including $200 million in new funding to continue investing in place-based connectivity projects through further rounds of the RCP.
