More alternative regional voice services trials announced

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.