Data Roaming During Disasters Recommended Only in Limited Situations
According to Telstra’s manager of government relations, Lisa McTiernan, disaster roaming is a limited and expensive approach that may not work during larger natural disasters, such as storms that leave thousands without power.
Temporary disaster roaming would allow mobile customers to switch networks in smaller geographical locations during disasters like floods or bushfires when telecommunications infrastructure is damaged.
While Telstra is testing the technology, it is likely to only be available in small areas. The ability to roam on a temporary basis for disasters like this already exists in the US and Canada.
Alexander Osborne, head of regulatory at telco TPG, stated that temporary disaster roaming would be costly in Australia due to the lack of shared data roaming agreements between providers already in place.
Osborne emphasized that without pre-existing domestic roaming arrangements, temporary disaster roaming would not be feasible, making it an expensive and limited approach.
During a parliamentary inquiry into disaster resilience, Telstra and TPG representatives discussed the challenges of implementing temporary disaster roaming and the need for better communication around the risks of natural disasters in a changing climate.
