Telstra has fired back after rival telco Vodafone lodged a complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), accusing Telstra of overstating the reach of its mobile network.
Vodafone claimed that Telstra’s widely promoted coverage—99.7% of the Australian population and three million square kilometres—is misleading. The core of Vodafone’s complaint is that these figures rely on “the use of a special external antenna and powered repeater typically installed on a building or vehicle,” which most consumers don’t typically use.
In response, Telstra conducted what it calls a “deep review” of its mobile coverage data. Despite the scrutiny, the telco has stood firm on its position.
Telstra Executive for Technology Engagement Advancement Channa Seneviratne said, “While Telstra initially updated its website to clarify the 99.7% figure factored in the use of external antennas.
“When Vodafone raised concerns about our coverage claims, we took the time to complete a deep assessment of our coverage measurement data,” said Seneviratne.
“We thought it was best in the meantime to take a conservative approach and refer to an external antenna recommendation in our coverage claims.”
“We remain confident that our three million square kilometres of coverage to 99.7% of the Australian population coverage claims are correct, and does not rely on external antenna use,” he said.
In a blog post, Seneviratne outlined Telstra’s testing methods, which include both drive testing and desktop modelling.
“To work out our overall coverage footprint, we set a minimum dBm level that’s needed to maintain a good quality voice call. If the predicted signal strength is below this level, we exclude this area from our coverage footprint,” said Seneviratne.
He added that, currently, there is no industry-wide standard for measuring coverage, but Telstra will advocate for a consistent approach moving forward.
Vodafone has called on the ACCC to investigate the matter, and consumer advocacy group ACCAN has expressed deep concern over the allegations.
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