Australia’s economy expands on connectivity. From thriving Sydney cafés to remote Pilbara mining sites, businesses rely on seamless digital communication to drive sales and to ensure productivity. Yet, the nation’s vast geography and insufficient infrastructure leave many businesses struggling with poor signal—a silent killer of efficiency and revenue. In this article, we will explore how poor connectivity restrain Australian businesses and what they can do to stay competitive.
Understanding Poor Signal in the Australian Context
Poor signal refers to inconsistent mobile or internet connectivity caused by infrastructure limitations, network congestion, or environmental barriers. In Australia, the issue is amplified by unique challenges:
Geography:
The Outback and rural Australia often face ‘mobile black spots’ where coverage is nonexistent. Although, this has changed a lot in recent years, but the struggle with poor connectivity still exists.
Urban Congestion:
Major Australian cities like Melbourne and Sydney suffer from network overload during peak hours, affecting business productivity and sales.
Natural Disasters:
Bushfires and floods frequently damage infrastructures in Australia. According to ACMA (Australian Communication and Media Authority), 1406 telecommunications facilities were impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires.
This affects cloud based technologies (e.g., Xero, MYOB), VoIP systems, and 4G/5G dependent tools, hampering operations from invoicing to customer service. This is disastrous situation for a business!
Impact on Business Productivity
Communication Breakdown
Remote and hybrid work models have become popular in cities like Brisbane and Perth in recent years. They rely heavily on stable communication. Dropped Zoom calls or delayed emails disrupt team collaboration.
Operational Inefficiencies
Cloud-based accounting and inventory tools lag without reliable internet. A Melbourne retailer shared how POS system crashes during holiday rushes let to 30-minute checkout delays, frustrating both staff and customers.
Employee Morale
Constant technology struggles demoralise teams. A PwC survey revealed that a good portion of employees in regional NSW reported heightened stress from connectivity stress, lowering engagement and output.
Impact on Sales and Revenue
Lost Opportunities
Think about a Bondi café unable to process EFTPOS payments during the summer rush. NAB estimates payment failures cost SMEs $144 million annually. E-commerce isn’t immune: Slow-loading sites cause 68% of Aussies to abandon carts.
Customer Experience
Tourism operators in regions like the Great Barrier Reef face backlash when visitors can’t access booking apps or maps. Negative Tripadvisor reviews like “spotty Wi-Fi” can deter future bookings.
Long-Term Trust Erosion
Consistency builds loyalty, but signal issues undermine it. A 2024 ACCC study showed 54% of customers are likely to reduce spending after repeated service disruptions.
Industry-Specific Challenges
Tasman Honey, Tasmania:
Tasman Honey, a (beekeeper and shop owner Ian Kingston) on the Tasman Peninsula reported that they lost about $1000 sales per busy day due to poor connectivity. This happened because the shop's EFTPOS couldn't process payments due to internet dropout.
Air-Conditioning Business – Morawa, WA
Another case was from an air-conditioning and refrigerating business in Morawa, WA. The owner, Stuart reported an estimated loss of around $26000 due to two months of recurring mobile and internet outage from Telstra. He couldn't call or text clients to follow up to service quotes and bookings.
Mrs Jones Pantry (Café) – Wagga Wagga, NSW
This is a small cafe in Wagga Wagga, NSW. They also reported losing a lot of business due to nationwide Optus outage in November 2023. The outage took down their EFTPOS terminals in the second week of their operation. They were forced to go 'Cash Only' and many customers were not prepared for that.
Solutions and Best Practices
Infrastructure Upgrades
Leverage federal initiatives like the $1 billion investment in the Mobile Black Spot Program to subsidise tower installations. Satellite tech, such as Starlink and NBN’s Sky Muster, offer rural areas speed up to 150 Mbps.
Technology Fixes
You can also think about some possible technology fixes to overcome those situations.
- You can install CEL-FI signal boosters in offices to ensure seamless communication in every corner.
- You can use 5G + fixed wireless hybrids for urban redundancy.
- You can adopt offline-first tools (e.g., Kounta’s (now Lightspeed) offline POS mode).
Employee Training & Partnerships
Train staff on basic troubleshooting and backup process. Collaborate with providers like Optus Business for tailored solutions.
Case Studies
DA Hall & Co (Poultry Farming – Millmerran, QLD)
This farm faced difficulties implementing AI and robotic technologies due to poor mobile connectivity in remote location. They collaborated with the AgTech and Logistics Hub to install high-reliability 4G connectivity across all sites.
The had amazing results-
- Enabled real-time data collection and monitoring.
- Improved bird health and productivity through better data visualization.
- Enhanced safety and operational efficiency.
Mining Supplier – Port Hedland, WA
A major mining supplier in Port Hedland faced significant communication issues due to the absence of mobile coverage, hindering real-time updates and client interactions.
They installed a Cel-Fi G51 5G repeater system with six ceiling-mounted antennas, enhancing mobile signal strength throughout the facility.
This gave them a full mobile coverage, improved operational efficiency, and ensured reliable communication, even during landline outages.
Remote Operations – Various Sites
Multiple remote sites experienced slow internet speeds and frequent dropouts, affecting productivity.
They decided to switch to Optus SIMs for better reception, deployed new routers, and installed signal boosters.
These steps significantly improved connectivity, enhanced operational efficiency, and achieved cost savings across various job sites.
Poor signal isn’t just an issue—it’s a business survival challenge. Australian businesses can recover productivity, sales and build customer trust through auditing connectivity gaps and investing in solutions. With the 5G rollout accelerating and federal funds flowing, the tools for flexibility is within reach.