Regional mobile telecommunications performance

Mobile Telecommunications is an essential service that fundamentally affects quality of life by improving communication, the ability of business and industry to improve productivity and for the nation to compete successfully in the global digital economy. There are three fundamental and measurable parameters that, when combined, provide the basis upon which judgements about mobile telecommunications can be made. The parameters are cost, access and performance. Information is readily available about the first two parameters. Quantifiable information is not available about performance. Regional mobile telecommunications is further complicated by factors including population density, the cost of transit or backhaul and infrastructure subsidies. This paper provides a discussion on regional mobile telecommunications performance and focuses on throughput (capacity). The paper recommends that regional mobile telecommunications performance data be collected and that minimum performance standards for regional mobile telecommunications be legislated.