Optus, Pivotel and Telstra have been awarded grants under the final tranche of the Commonwealth’s $2 million Alternative Voice Services Trials (AVST) Program.
The latest tranche of trails includes:
- Optus offering 15 trial services at pre-determined regional locations in NSW, Queensland and SA. It will trial fixed and mobile voice calls and offer optional broadband data access with backhaul provided through its satellite network;
- Pivotel offering up to 60 trial services at 30 locations in regional and remote areas of Australia. Those participating will be able to use the full functionality of mobile handsets to make and receive VoIP calls when at home or out and about; and
- Telstra offering up to 300 trial services, in a range of diverse locations across Australia. Most services will be fixed voice services delivered using its 4G network. Telstra will also trial a small number of voice services delivered over satellite.
Some solutions include antennas and battery backup at homes to provide participants with a more robust service and better in-home call quality.
The companies will ramp up the recruitment of participants for the trials in the coming months.
More information on the AVST Program, including on all grantees and their offers and how consumers can register their interest to participate in the trials, is available on the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Communications website.
Posted 19 February, 2021